As Time Will Tell
by Rasetsukoku
Summary: Time is the master of us all but, as Kagome and her friends struggle to survive against Naraku, they learn of a new enemy and of a fate that Kagome may not be able avoid. [KagomexSesshoumaru]
1. Frail Euphoria

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or anything that pertains to it. : Sniff, sniff: So don't not sue me, I have no money. Just a white boa and a crescent moon necklace to signify my compete and utter devotion…

Any original characters belong to me… Just a shout out, I know none of you would steal them. Would you? I'm just kidding… Or am I? Ha, just kidding again I trust all of you! Or do I? 8

(Repost)

As Time Will Tell

Chapter One: Frail Euphoria

"Kado get back here!" Kagome yelled as she chased a young mud covered child. The years had passed when she first started her adventure in the Sengoku Jidai, she was no longer a naïve fifteen year old, but she was now a young woman of twenty-two. Womanhood had been very generous to her. Her face grew more elegant and flawless. Her original looks of beauty that once hindered her appearance and forced her vestige to be compared to a walking corpse, but no longer, for she grew out of the look of Kikyo. The truth was she had transcended Kikyo, her magnificence was all of her own and that greater. Her penetrating ice blue eyes still held the sparkling splendor and innocence that held all onlookers captivated.

Her almost waist long raven hair bounced fervently as she chased the filthy whelp. She was dressed in a kimono befit for a hime and it was molded to show her perfect form. She was taller and slimmer, as the years chasing shards had shaped her form into that of a sculpted piece of art. Everything was in perfect proportion that could make the gods envious. The moonlight blue kimono virtually glowed of it's own accord under the blazing sun, and her grey obi began to loosen as she refused to stop chasing the child. She continued to pursue the young pup as well as she could, but the pup avoided her easily.

Kado continued to run circles around her using his inherited gifts to his advantage. His usual lustrous silver hair that reached his waist and flowed easily with the calm wind was covered in red dusty mud. His frosted blue eyes sparkled with mischief that came easily to a young pup. His perfect face nearly hidden beneath the muck. His blue crescent moon on his forehead was gone from view and the one maroon stripe on each cheek remained the only visible proof of his heritage. His fangs glistened in the sunlight as he smiled knowingly at his slow mother. He tucked some loose hair behind his pointed ears and stuck his tongue out at her.

"Okasan! You'll never catch me and I won't ever have to take another bath!"

"Come back here, you're covered in mud! Kado I mean it! Oh I give up!" She turned to look at her mate, his thick long silver hair moved gently with the wind while he stared at her with his great gold mesmerizing eyes. He held a partial grin on his aristocratic, elegant face. He was enjoying their time together and the fact she failed catch the young pup. He found it amusing. His clothes billowed frictionless as he stalked closer, embracing her into a warm loving hug. "Will you do something about your son? It's time for his bath and I can't seem to catch him and I know for a fact that you wouldn't want him smelly now do you?" She smiled as he bent down to kiss her.

"No I don't, but it is not my fault you are human." He said as he broke the kiss. Kagome fabricated a hurtful look, but she knew that it was just his way of teasing her. He loved to point out her human flaws and she did his. He released her from his grasp and chased after his pup. To the naked eye he disappeared but he was only using his true youkai speed, he easily caught the pup. She turned to watch her son as he was suddenly picked up and disappeared as fast as it happened. Then her mate reappeared, he was holding their son affectionately, but then suddenly he had a look of agitation on his handsome face. A look she knew well, whenever he smelled something he did not like, he would always freeze up.

"Otousan what's the matter?" The young pup asked as he sense his father's discomfort.

"Quiet Kado." He ordered passionlessly. The young immediately quieted, as he knew not to bother his father is such a state of mind.

Kagome stepped forward with her hand reaching out for him, hoping her touch would ease his troubling mind. She felt a dark aura approaching and she instinctively grasped the completed Shikon no Tama from around her neck in a firm hold. Before she could react she felt a horrible ripping pain shoot through her entire body. Her eyes bulged and she looked down at her chest, a bloody clawed fist was through it. She looked up at her mate and their son each with their look of horror on their faces.

"Kagome!" he yelled. She grunted as she felt the hand pull itself out of her body and she fell to her knees and her arm fell to her side while the other held onto the jewel.

"Sesshou…" she attempted with blood running down her mouth. He rushed forward and rammed his claws into the fleeing assailant's neck. He cleanly decapitated the neko's head as his claws sliced into bone, flesh and blood. He enjoyed watching his head roll of his shoulders and witnessing his blood flow from his neck like a fountain, erupting for the last time. He heard her try to say his name again and he rushed back to her side. Kado was eerily quiet in his father's other arm, he tried to jump from his clutches but Sesshoumaru held on.

She fell onto her back, with her blood gushing everywhere; she landed a growing puddle of her own crimson blood. He kneeled next to her and licked the blood off his claws and rested his hand gently, with his thumb running over the curve of her paling cheek. He could hear her heartbeat slowing, she was dying and he couldn't do a goddamned thing.

"Okasan will be okay, right Otousan?" Kado looked up to his father whom made up half of his small happy world but he sensed that his mother wasn't all right, and it terrified him. "Okasan, I will bathe all the time if you get better! I'll be the bestest son!" Sesshoumaru's hold finally lessened and allowed his son to jump from his knee. He moved to the other side of his dying mother and he lost his small clawed hands in her torrent of sweaty, bloody raven hair as if fanned around her milky face.

Kagome raised her own arm and placed it on Sesshoumaru's cheek with her hand running along his striped cheek, in the same manner as he. She turned to look at him with her out of focus dimming blue eyes. "Sesshoumaru I love you. Please take care of our son." She withdrew her hand and began to pull at the accursed Shikon no Tama that hung loosely around her neck.

"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru whispered softly, not understanding what she was doing.

"Kado?" She continued to stare into her mate's eyes, and with moment passed his heart was breaking with every minute her life dwindled before him. Then she tilted to look up at her precious young pup.

Her pup turned his attention to his mother, "Hai Okasan?"

"Kadonomaro…" Blood once again ran freely from her cherry lips, and Sesshoumaru immediately wiped the blood off with his white silk haori sleeve. "Kado, I wish for you to become…" cough, cough, "I love you Kado, protect the Shikon no Tama." She finally plucked the pink jewel and placed his tiny hands.

"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru tried. Kagome turned her focus back to her mate when he said her name as a painful whisper and she smiled and reached out for him. He grabbed her hand with his other hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Sesshoumaru help him. Protect the jewel. Don't let it…," Cough, cough, "I love you Sess…" He heard her heart finally fail, and her cooling hand grew limp. He looked at her angelic face covered with blood; he again wiped her vestige clean with his kimono. Her intense cold eyes haunted him at way they stared at him, somehow making him feel responsible for her death. He carefully closed her eyes and bent down to kiss her one last time. Kado jumped into his father's arms and cried against his chest. He knew something was every wrong and he was terrified over his mother and father.

Sesshoumaru hugged his son while trying to keep his own emotions over taking him and losing himself to his anger and grief but was failing horribly. "Kado?" His son continued to cry making him closer to losing his control. "Kado!" he snapped. His pup looked up suddenly and in his weeping eyes, he regretted yelling at him, but he had to remain resolute. "Go inside and find Shippou and Rin. I need you to remain there until I come back."

"Come back? Where are you going?" Kado asked while sniffling back more tears.

"Kado worry not, I will be back."

"What about Okasan?" Sesshoumaru glanced back at his dead mate and felt the urge to run his fingers through her midnight silky mane.

"Kado do as I say. Inform Shippou and Rin what happened. They will tend to her."

"Otousan are you leaving me too?"

"Kado now!" Sesshoumaru yelled, his usual calm collective self was on the verge of breaking. He placed the pup on the ground and forced himself to try to regain the cold unemotional mask that Kagome once shattered. The pup inched closer to the palace with a death grip on the Shikon no Tama that his mother had given him just moments before. "Kado I said now!" he roared. The smell of tears, sadness and blood nearly drove him mad.

Kado looked at his father and saw his father's eyes turning blood red. He suddenly feared his father, he never seen him so angry and for a moment he thought it was because of him, without another thought, with all the strength of being a hanyou to his use, he ran to the fortress leaving his mother and father behind.

Sesshoumaru turned his back on his palace and brought up the barrier and kneeled next to his beloved. 'How could they do this to me? Those bastards will pay!'

He pulled Kagome's body to him and of all the years of pent-up passion and with Kagome melting his heart, his beloved's death was the last straw to his unrestrained emotions, he broke down and cried onto her shoulder. "Kagome I'm sorry. I will make them pay for taking you away from me." He tried to inhale her sweet scent, but her fresh exhilarating scent was fading away, leaving the strong smell of blood and tears. "Damn it Kagome come back! I love you so much beloved. You can't leave me!"

The very last of his control gave way. He gently laid her back on the ground onto a fresh patch of grass and transformed into his true form. Hs dazzlingly silver fur, glistening in the setting sun, and a giant shadow overspread much of valley that he was in residence of. He howled for all he was worth, allowing anyone within hundreds of miles to hear his grief and turmoil and as set as a warning to all. He bent down and clamped down on the still body of Kagome's killer and ripped his body apart and gnawed brutally on his appendages. He tasted cartilage mixed with the addicting savor of plasma. He ripped, mutilated and slashed all he could, before dripping acid from his mouth upon the mangled parts of the foul youkai that dared to destroy the sanctity of his family. He would not allow anything to remain of the puppet that worked for his most hated enemies.

Still he felt anger, grief and sorrow even after obliterating all that remained of the assassin. What was he to do now that the first person he ever loved was dead? Thoughts of revenge ran rampage through his head. The other lords will pay for their offense. They killed his mate, lover, friend and his beloved, nothing less than their lives to be paid in full for their transgression and for his loss. Kagome will be avenged, for she didn't deserve to die. She was a pure innocent soul. Such a person should be preserved not destroyed.

'She will be repaid in kind by my hands. Their blood will drip from my class and they will feel my pain.' With one last excruciating look at his beloved, he ran into the cover of his forest and headed for the Eastern Lands. Gonnohyoe the Eastern lord would be the first to feel his wrath…

Kado ran inside screaming for help, wishing anyone to come to his aide. "Help! Shippou! Rin! Jaken! Okasan's hurt! Jaken! Anyone!"

Shippou appeared immediately, his red shoulder length hair was disheveled and wet and it was free of its customary tie, as he just exited the baths. In short seven years, he had grown into a handsome kitsune teenager. He was no longer a weak youkai like when he was still a cub, but now he on longer needed assistance against a foe. He kitsune tricks and magic and strength had increased and he was also a nearly master swordsman, as Sesshoumaru would have nothing less of perfection. His usually brilliant cheerful eyes were now replaced with hesitation and worry. His clothes were barely hanging on as he rushed to get dressed as he heard Kado's cry for help. "What's wrong Kado?"

"It's Okasan, someone hurt her and she was bleeding a lot!"

"Kado where's Otousan?"

"Otousan went away."

"Shit! Ok, Kado stay here and wait for Jakan and Rin. I'll come for you." Shippou barely waited for Kado's response and ran out of the place and where his adopted mother's scent lingered. He bypassed the newly erected barrier with ease and the scent of blood jolted his senses, and his heart grew weary. He saw his okasan lying on the ground next to a drying pool of blood. "Okasan!" Shippou fell to his knees next to Kagome and he grabbed her shoulders. He could only smell three things, Sesshoumaru, his tears and her blood. Her heavenly scent smelled old and faded, and his heart broke. It meant only one thing. He couldn't hear her heartbeat and he knew she was dead, tears flowed freely and his own eyes began to glow blazing red, but he kept his control. He picked up her small, virtually weightless limp form gently in bridal style and walked back to the palace, and not wanting to tell Rin and Kado the news that their mother was dead.

* * *

Teaser:

"But she's my Okasan! I want to see her!"

"Kado no. We're taking huge risk just by talking to her and I will not allow the timeline to be skewed any more than necessary and the fact that you are her son might disrupt your future. I will go alone. She knows me but you might slip out a few too many details."

"No I won't."


	2. Finally! 500 years

Disclaimer: See first chapter. Gucci Versace, and Armani are also under the disclaimer.

As Time Will Tell

Chapter Two: Finally! 500 years…

Sesshoumaru watched the old shrine and it's inhabitants in the darkening sky, from a rooftop that was 'coincidentally' placed near enough to the shrine on the small hill, which allowed him to view it from afar. He spent most of the last seventeen years of his immortal life dedicating to watch and protect the one he spent the last five hundred years waiting and hoping to meet again. Fate had been cruel but he would take back what was stolen from him. For the past five hundred years, Japan changed, humans changed (just a little), he changed and his purpose in his existence changed. He often missed the Sengoku Jidai, the fresh air before it was polluted with grime, gas and factory exhaust. When humans feared all youkai and the youkai reigned supreme. The freedom and the vast forest that once surrounded his ancestral home, which no longer existed. Humans. Interesting creatures, they were. The scent of humans hasn't changed much over the years, still sweat based, but they were now hygienic which was a small improvement. But now they seemed to bask themselves in false, irritating fragrances that made his eyes water.

Human intelligent sometimes was ironic. To come so far, but still not far enough. But he must give them their due, their intellect that canceled out their other worldly faults. He didn't particularly liked to pretend to be human, but he chose to hide amongst the sheep, it allowed to him to do as he wished without drawing attention to him, which he pointed out that he could easily dispose of the problem but as he stated earlier he changed.

He was still the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands to all youkai that survived the transition and genocide the humans bestowed on youkai once they had the technology to overcome their bodily strength. The years have been generous to him from a human point of view, but he looked exactly like he did half a millenium ago. He changed not physically but instead it was more of a modern self-awareness and a new conscious thought.

But those could disagree with him, about him changing physically, for in his youkai humanoid from was looked the same, but that never came into account of his human disguise. As a 'human' he changed his long silver hair to a soft light golden brown and in certain light would almost glow it's natural tint, and it was usually kept in a low ponytail, that always brushed up against his legs. He refused to cut it, one might think him shallow, but he liked his hair and as it was an inherited gift and he refused to hide it. His piercing golden eyes were hidden behind some trivial concealing spell. Now they were of a cinnamon color with only a touch of his natural shade of gold. With the same concealing spell his facial markings and stripes were hidden from curious onlookers. At times he was surprised to see them on his body once he dropped the simple spell, but those moments were rare.

For too long he has been the living embodiment of a lie, and he secretly hoped that it would end. His tail still existed but he had absorbed it into his corporal being, and only a few times he indulged himself and allowed it to drape across his shoulder like he did so long ago. The only evidence of his youkai heritage was his fangs, claws and his some- what pointed ears. He refused to completely round his ears, for he saw no need. Humans were diverse creatures and his pointy ears would not bring questions to his true nature. His claws had retracted a bit but they were as sharp as ever. His 'nails' had the look of a manicure but all in all it was just well maintenance, as one would with a sword or gun. As they were weapons in their purpose to a youkai.

His traditional silk haori and hakama were replaced with Gucci, Armani and Versace business suits. To make it in the human world Sesshoumaru discovered, power was based on wealth not physical stamina. He took advantage of the growth of technology and he built himself an empire that continued to swell with profit, power and influence. Many compared him to the American Donald Trump, but he saw very little of his traits that could be compared to him. In truth it sicken him to be compared to him, but what was he to do.

Sesshoumaru's ways of dealing the business world was vastly different from the American and he didn't understand how they could make the comparison. He was considered by the business world to be a recluse and mysterious. He never spoke to the press, rarely made public appearances and when he did show himself it was something of importance and he was for more affluent then the American can ever hope to be. And yet again his superficial thoughts kept reminding him that he was far more superior in every way, and demanded that he would remain in HIS shadow.

But recently he had made the news as 'Hayakawa Eizan' who began to take over his father's business as the sole heir to the immense fortune, but he was curbing his own power. So that his brothers, 'Matsuyo' and 'Ryozo' would share the vice president chair and would take his responsibility whenever 'Eizan' was away. Sesshoumaru found that he preferred to change identities about every 50 to 60 years playing the part of father and son to keep up the appearances so every generation he posed for would take over. Now was the time he rid himself of his paternal identity and took over his own company as Eizan.

The one major thorn in his side at the moment was those damn reporters. They seemed to love to make him and his 'family' the center of gossip. They got wind he was taking over and they relentlessly hounded him. Against his liking he was named Japan's most eligible bachelor of the business world. He couldn't go anywhere without being pursued by shameless whores, who wanted nothing more to get into his bed and his bank account. Matsuyo had received the same treatment, but on nowhere the amount that Sesshoumaru had to deal with. Even Ryozo had to put-up with sleazy human whores.

There was one determined human who he was forced to work with who constantly hounded him and tried to seduce him on number of occasions and yet she couldn't get the hint. Whenever she was near she would brush up against him and it made his senses burn. Her scent was heavily masked by an over abundance of flower perfume and with each brush up against him, she horrible scent lingered around him, and it disgusted him completely. Oh he wished that he could have used Dokkasou and melt his problem away, but he didn't want to or afford to be forced into seclusion until the incident blew over.

He pulled his mind out of his thoughts as he witnessed activity at the shrine he watched over. He sighted a girl in a sailor uniform, exit a small shed heading for her home. Her raven hair hid her face but he knew who it was. There was no way for him not to know. He had memorized every detail of her and the old memories of the past began to resurface. He immediately ached to fly to her, to hold her, to kiss her, to make sweet passionate love to her, to feel her writhing, thrashing body beneath his own, but he couldn't and it pulled at his heart's string. So close but so far… He now knew what that human phrase meant and he took it to heart. He watched as she hobbled to her house, she was in obvious pain, and once again his protective urges called for him to run to her and make everything better.

"Otousan? Is she back?"

"Hai." Sesshoumaru turned to face his youngest son, as he joined him on the top of the rooftop, peering over the city and the ancestral home of his beloved.

Kado stood next to his father and joined in the gazing of their environment. He too wore a fine business suit much like Sesshoumaru and he wore the pure completed Shikon no Tama around his neck. He looked so much like his father; to whom Kado had inherited his delicate features. His silver hair was the same hue as his father. He has his father's hair but he had two long tendrils on each side of his face and it only reached his waist and it flowed freely, from having not to be confined to a ponytail as his father chose to do. His concealing spell covered his crescent moon, the one stripe on both cheeks, and he rounded his ears a bit but still was different from most human ears. His silver hair under the concealing spell had the same light brown like his father's. The only true difference between him and his father was instead of the penetrating gold/cinnamon eyes, he had glacier blue eyes, that demanded attention from all even when he didn't call for it. He looked so much like his father that he was forced to portray his brother, Matsuyo, for they seemed to be the same age. Even though his father is a full youkai, and him being a hanyou with a special case he aged just as slowly as a full youkai. Five hundred years passed and, he looked no over 25.

"When are we going to confront her?"

"Several weeks from now."

"Otousan can I go with you?"

"No."

"Otousan?"

"I said no, Kado."

"Why not?"

"We've been over this Kado, you will not come to the first encounter."

"But she's my Okasan! I want to see her!"

"Kado no. We're taking huge risk just by talking to her and I will not allow the timeline to be skewed any more than necessary and the fact that you are her son might disrupt your future. I will go alone. She knows me but you might slip out a few too many details."

"No I won't."

"Yes you will. You have her bashful, truthful nature and if she comes to ask who you are, you might foolishly answer her."

"But Otousan even if I don't go with you, there is a chance that I might not be born."

"…"

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."

"I am not."

"Otou-"

"Kado be silent. I will not lose you both when we could change everything for the better. You could have your mother back."

"But what if it doesn't work out?"

"Then hopefully when time repeats itself, This Sesshoumaru will do something different."

"Alright but you will not prevent me from seeing her at the second meeting. Shippou and I grow restless with the passing of days. We will need to confide to her."

"I will think it over."

"Promise?"

"This Sesshou-"

"Otousan promise?"

"I promise, but Kado I forbid you from seeking her out in an unnecessary situation."

"Hai Otousan."

"Kado?"

"Hai?"

"We will have her back."

"I know," he said with a smile, sometimes it surprised him that his father would try to make him feel better, like now, he was awful at it ninety-nine percent of the time, but he appreciated it all the same. It made Shippou's stories about his father seem a little strange, he couldn't imagine him once being evil, but he could picture his father the stoic iceman of the Sengoku Jidai who demanded respect and obedience. For his father was still cold to people. Most didn't notice but his father only really let go of his emotionless mask in front of him or Shippou.

Kado left his father to his watching as he left the rooftop. He knew his father hated waiting and he understood, for he too waited five hundred years to see his mother again. He gilded down the stairs that led to the roof and navigated his way to his penthouse flat. His father felt it was necessary to own the last three floors of the apartment complex, squandering all the available penthouses just for the three of them. He took notice that Shippou was waiting outside his door, nervous about something that was seen to be obvious on his troubled face.

Shippou had grown over the past five hundred years, he was tall, but he only went to Kado's chin. He still had his burly red hair, as it was held in a high ponytail, must of the time, otherwise his curly shoulder length hair hung loose. As he grew older his paws changed into something more 'normal' to help fit in with the growing human population. His once fluffy tail he absorbed into his body much like his adopted father. His ears had rounded out to look human. He had no need for a concealing spell, as he could control the basic functions of his body, had he had stripes he would have needed a concealing spell. His eyes were still a vibrant green, just full of knowledge and wisdom five hundreds worth, but sometimes he still was the kitsune cub that wanted nothing more to play and eat candy. He too wore business suits like his brother and father, but he preferred his T-shirts and jeans.

"Hey Kado is he still out there?"

"Yeah, still watching over her."

"When are we going to talk to her?"

"He will be going in a few weeks."

"He? You mean we're not going?"

"Hai."

"Why aren't we?"

"Otousan says that we might let something slip."

"That's not fair. We waited just as long as he did and we both want to see her just as bad as he does!"

"I know but we can come to the second meeting, Otousan said he would think it over."

"Kado we're not pups anymore, we should be able to see her! She's my Okasan too you know! It's not fair that Otousan gets to see her first. I can't wait that much longer."

"Shippou." A cold voice interrupted. Shippou and Kado turned to see their father at the end of the hall in the opening of to the stairs.

"Konbanwa Otousan." Shippou supplied nervously.

"Shippou."

"Hai?"

"You and Kado will be allowed to visit her in the next meeting but, you will not be in contact with her till then. Shippou I mean this. You will not speak to her, see her or anything. You will do nothing. You understand?"

"Hai."

"Otousan are you done watching Okasan?" Kado joined in since his father showed up at his door.

"Hai, she has gone to bed. I trust you two not to interfere with her. You will see her soon. But if she runs into trouble, protect her. As I won't be able to for the next three days."

"Why?" Kado asked.

"I just received a call while I was on the roof. There seems to be sudden meeting in Okinawa, and I need to make an appearance tomorrow. When I'm gone and there is trouble do not allow her under any circumstances to see you. Shippou it is advisable for you to use your illusionary magic if you have to make yourself known."

"We know Otousan, we know. Save her and disappear. We've been protecting her sense she was born and nothing happened as of ever." Shippou added smartly. He found it funny that Sesshoumaru was so protective and nothing had happened to his mother in her short life, not including the Noh mask and the ghost incident. (Which they couldn't interfere as Inuyasha had been there.)

"I only served to remind you, due to my unexpected appointment. That damn bitch called to try to arrange another of her so called offers towards a buyout with one of our competitors and I won't be here when your mother remains here in this time."

"Mizaki Naomi trying to get in your bed again?" Kado asked sheepishly.

"Amongst other things."

"I wonder how she would react to find out that you have two sons who are about twenty times her own age..."

"You will tell her nothing."

"Be still Otousan! I'm just joking. Besides I don't think she would believe us. We don't look past twenty-six. Pretty good for you Otousan, who lived over a thousand years!" Shippou added, gracefully, from all the years of practice smoothing Inuyasha's ruffled 'fur'.

"Yeah. I mean Otousan, you and I are often confused as twins. But still I wonder would she still try to worm her way into your bed."

"I would not put it past her. That slut has done everything to be noticed by you. She is almost as bad as a neko in heat…"

"Humans are strange creatures, still to this day. Always getting into something they do not know of."

"Otousan how long will you be gone?"

"Three days and as soon as I am back, I expect you two to work the Takagawa takeover, and leave Kagome to me."

* * *

Teaser:

"… Perhaps I could assist with that small problem and test my theory."

"What theory is that?"

"That you haven't met the right woman yet."

"That 'right' woman I meet will be certainly not you." On that note Sesshoumaru left her and headed into the elevator, leaving her with her gaping with denial.


	3. Three Days of Hell, and of Slutty Women

Disclaimer: See first chapter, and I do not own the Paris sex tape, or The Apprentice and a shout out to the greatest band ever- Dir en grey! (Which I also do not own… :Tears: Wahh!) Also I gave Hojou a last name since he doesn't seem to have one.

Also I am looking for a Beta reader. I really need one; if anyone is interested email me, I would greatly appreciate it.

As Time Will Tell

Chapter Three: Three Days of Hell, and of Slutty Women

Sesshoumaru boarded his private jet after a quick pack and having to drag Jaken from his room, he managed to get on his plane all before midnight. He did not under circumstances wanted to part with Kagome during the short time that she was in this time but the call of business required his presence. He began to doubt that he could concentrate at the business at hand, while knowing Kagome was unprotected by his own watch was unbearable.

'Maybe I should have Kado or Shippou deal with this. Of all the years of watching her and this year alone serves to be the most important, I should be there for her. My sons are more than capable of dealing the Mizaki wench and the business. Damn her! If I were a bit more paranoid I would think she called this meeting with the intent of separating me from her.'

While deep in his musings, he didn't feel the jet take off to Okinawa. Jaken was asleep in his chair snoring loud enough to awake the dead from their slumber, and to irritate his sensitive ears. He noticed that Jaken in no matter what form he took he still had a toad base look to him. His human form by human standards was ugly. His face was all pointy and he had a green tint to him, making him appear to have a deathly sick demeanor. Many choose to keep their distance whenever Jaken was near.

'Stupid humans always trying to avoid something that is either contagious or not, can they not tell the difference between a sickness or something of basic inheritance?' Sesshoumaru tried to hold down from giving a superior snort, at his observance. Humans were amusing to him and Jaken seemed to remind him of it. It was cycle; Jaken served as an example of weak humans and vice versa.

He looked out the window and watched as the Tokyo city lights faded from view from beneath the dark clouds. He couldn't help but feel nostalgic. He recalled all the years that he was free to fly through the pure clean sky, with the fresh wind whipping through his hair. Now he wouldn't consider it. The air itself was not what it once was, and he refused to be subjected any more to the industrial world than necessary, and he couldn't forget the risk of being spotted, by the lower class. Now he was forced use planes as a replacement, but he preferred his youki cloud, as he had total control over himself.

As he neared his destination, he held back a shudder at the outlook of the unwanted advances constantly made by Mizaki. 'Just three days and I can go back home away from her. Three days… This will be hell on Earth and the only cure… Kagome, my sweet beloved.' He would be back and he could continue his regiment of watching her and protecting her.

Due to the days of anticipation of finally being able to speak to her, hear her voice, to feel her, he had went without sleep for too long, even for him. He allowed himself to fall into a light sleep, while trying to block out the annoying humming of the plane engines and the erratic snoring that came from the toad youkai a few seats away from him. Sleep was a safe haven for him; it kept him from worrying about his state of affairs, and helped him forget about the gold-digging whores in his world. With sleep it reminded him of his life he had with his beloved and the all times they had shared. And with each time he awoke from his dreams he found himself just as much in love with Kagome as the first time that he told her of his true pure unadulterated feelings of love he held for her…

"Sesshoumaru-sama? Sesshoumaru-sama! Wake up my lord, we are here."

"Jaken."

"Hai?" he gulped.

"Do not wake me from my dreams again." Sesshoumaru voiced with poison dripping from his tone.

"But milord we are here."

"I am aware. Now remember to address me as Hayakawa as when we are in public Jaken." Sesshoumaru declared harshly.

"Hai Sess- I mean Hayakawa-sama."

"Better." 'Damn you Jaken, you stupid fool. Only if you weren't so loyal…'

Sesshoumaru picked up his briefcase and glided out of the jet and had Jaken tend to the luggage. The black sky seemed to darken as if it sensed his apprehension and agreed with him about his present problem. He marched up to the awaiting limousine and waited for the driver to open his door. From the corner of his eye, Jaken was struggling with their luggage.

'Five-hundred years and he still a weakling…'

His limousine door was opened and he jumped in, and the door was closed after him. After a few minutes he realized the he had not gotten anywhere, he looked out his door window and he watched his driver help the lowly youkai with the luggage. Soon the luggage was placed in the back and Jaken joined the driver in front, they were soon on their way. Within a reasonable amount of time had come to pass, he found that they had pulled up to his hotel. Not waiting for the driver to open his door, he and his briefcase marched up to the front desk. He received his room key and made his way around the familiar settings, leaving behind Jaken, the driver and the bellboy who struggled to keep up with him while juggling his belongings.

He liked this particular hotel, they never asked him questions, always did as he requested and they always had the same room for him, no matter if he was in town for a night or for an entire month. His room was always deprived of the human stench and it should as he paid to keep anyone else from occupying the room whenever he needed it. He entered the familiar hallway at the top floor of hotel and made his way to the largest suite in the hotel.

'At least I will have some comfort while I am here in hell while in the presence of a snake no different from Satan himself.'

As Sesshoumaru saw no need to go back to sleep as he would be joining the meeting in a few hours. He sat at the well worn in a corner of an adjoining room, he restarted his work on his laptop, and he allowed Jaken to maintain everything and to bring along his belongings from their ride. Hours went by unnoticed until Jaken interrupted his work.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, it's time to leave for the conference."

"I see Jaken, get my ride ready."

"It already is milord."

"I will be on my way soon enough."

"Hai milord." And Jaken waddled out of his room, leaving his lord alone.

To his disliking, it was the start of the trice days of the hated conference and Mizaki's advances.

'Only if I could fire her or be rid of her in another fashion, but her family is shareholder and the damn contract I have with her damned father, prevents it from carrying out my road to freedom. Perhaps I should have my lawyers look up a loophole, if I have to take any more of her foolish human attempts at seducing me.'

He closed his laptop and changed into another identical black suit. He much preferred his white silk but the black Prada was a fine replacement. He placed his laptop into his briefcase and strolled out of his room to the private elevator. On the base floor he found Jaken waiting for him, he thrust his briefcase into Jaken's tiny hands and walked on expecting the toad to keep up. Their limousine was waiting for them and Sesshoumaru silently got in. On the way to his secondary building he reviewed the material and discussion before hand, and he planned a blunt way of threatening Mizaki with her job- damn the contract and damn her father.

Jaken remained quiet as well; knowing his lord favored silence. He nervously tapped his fingers across the hard dark leather of his master's briefcase; he knew of his master's predicament. The whore would torment his lord endlessly, he would personally love to burn her with his Heads of Staff but he couldn't. Be the case, no not in the twentieth-century, well he could rid his lord of the annoyance but humans punished those who kill and his lord made it clear that there would be no senseless "murders" or he liked to call it extermination.

His lord was once cold, aloof, merciless and powerful, but it began to change. It started first with his lord's first human- Rin. He kept her like a pet, cared for her well being and protected her. She was a nightmare, the flower fetish and the fact that she was uncontrollable whenever she was placed in his care. Rin found a crack in his lord's heart and in Jaken's lowly belief, weakening him.

Then his lord's human mate, - Kagome-sama, what an odd human she was. He personally thought she was better than all the other smelly humans, but she was still a human. Had the same weaknesses and such. His lord deserved better. He was happy that his lord was happy to be with her but being the weak human she as it was a short-lived happiness. She was doomed to die of old age were not for her murder, while he himself would remain young. Kagome-sama was a great human and a wonderful Lady of the Western Lands as much as he hated to admit it to himself. To have a short life and be weak was something you forgot when you were around her; she exuded strength and calmness. It was hard to believe she that she was not youkai.

When the young master was born it feared Jaken. Not for the fact he was part demon, but for being part human. His lord had the audacity to name Kado-sama his heir. Doing the exact opposite; he once proclaimed and the fact it would offend any youkai of importance. Yet he stood back, did as his master commanded and hoped that his strength would be enough. But it went back to his earlier theory. Humans made his lord weak. He fought for someone he loved and his clairvoyance was clouded by emotion, not logic.

In the end it all went to hell. He never saw his lord so emotional, so angry, he feared for those poor souls who would meet their end is such a horrible way, but they did deserve all the future pain they were entitled to.

"Jaken give me my suitcase."

Jaken snapped out of his thoughts and handed his lord his case. "My lord when did we reach the office?"

"Jaken if you wish to serve me any longer don't act like the idiot you are."

"Hai Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Jaken."

"I-er mean Hayakawa-sama."

Sesshoumaru or rather 'Hayakawa' and his loyal green toad exited from the limousine quickly and before they could step onto the concrete sidewalk, they heard a gnarlish screech, directed at them.

"Hayakawa-saaaaaaan!"

'Oh no, not now.' Sesshoumaru thought to himself, as he contorted his face to his stoic mask on the arrival at the arrival of the one person he wished to avoid.

"Hayakawa-san! Ohayo gozaimasu! It is so nice to run into you on the way up to the meeting! Now we can ride the elevator together!"

"… Mizaki, ohayo." Sesshoumaru responded with his thoughts dripping with trepidation.

Naomi Mizaki inched closer to Sesshoumaru as she continued to have a one-sided conversation with the tense youkai. Sesshoumaru looked her over, as she wouldn't shut up about her nonsense, she always wore revealing clothing that feigned to be a woman's business suit in hopes of enticing any male. She was taller than the average Japanese woman, but she blended in successfully some of the time, but was not for the light brown hair and her shimmering jade green eyes she had inherited from her American mother, she still stood out in a crowd. And Mizaki always seemed to be swimming in perfume, probably thinking that males of ANY species would swarm to her.

She was attractive by human standards but by his as she was nothing more than unwanted scum beneath his shoes. And unfortunately for her he thought her to be inferior to him and in truth she was, but still she continued to narrow her eyes upon him whenever he was near, and he had the sensation that she was undressing him with her eyes. He was not uncomfortable about her glaze, in fact he knew he was the ideal of 'human' perfection, but he hated the idea that He would be looked upon in such a fashion by such a lowly creature he deemed unworthy. He only tolerated her rude and uncivilized manner due to the fact that she was the unwanted partner in some certain aspect of his business, and that he made a promise to his sons that there would be unneeded bloodshed. Nevertheless his upbringing and his station in life called for Mizaki's head to roll.

Sesshoumaru grew tired of being held up by Mizaki and wished to get the meeting early, as he preferred to do. "Come Jaken."

"Hai." Sesshoumaru and Jaken left Mizaki standing awkwardly on the sidewalk to his building with Jaken scurrying to catch up with his lord.

"Oh wait up Hayakawa-san!" Mizaki collected her wits and chased after the Sesshoumaru, yet he continued to ignore her. "Hayakawa are you not happy about this unplanned meeting? I tried to do something but I unfortunately gotten nowhere." Mizaki grabbed Sesshoumaru's left arm and pulled it into her bosom. "We could try to make the best of it you know, Hayakawa-san," she added sensually.

Sesshoumaru stared coldly at the foul, demeaning human that took hostage his arm. "Let go of my arm."

"Oh Hayakawa-san you are so cute." She said it in a why that was meant to be as a excited chirp, but to his sensitive hearing, it sounded something similar to that of an ecstatic teenage girl screaming, and if had he had listened to any more eager squeaks his ears would no doubly bleed.

'This must be the first time that I wished that my arm didn't grow back…' Sesshoumaru pulled his arm from her iron grip and shoved her away. "I believe I told you to let go of my arm."

"What's wrong Hayakawa-san? I am starting to think that you have no interest in women, Hayakawa-san. And that won't help with you needing an heir to take over your small empire. Perhaps I could assist with that small problem and test my theory."

"What theory is that?"

"That you haven't met the right woman yet."

"That 'right' woman is certainly not you." With that declaration, Sesshoumaru left her and headed into the elevator, leaving her with her gaping with denial.

"Wait a minute milord!" Jaken hustled to catch up but Mizaki stuck her leg out and tripped the short-legged youkai before he could reach the closing elevators. "Humans! I swear you are worse than Kagome-sama," Jaken cried out against the hard cold floor.

"Kagome-sama? Who is she?" Mizaki yanked Jaken off the floor and pulled him up to her level and glared evilly into his bulbous wide eyes.

"Gah!"

"Listen to me, you little tumor, who is this Kagome person?"

"I can not tell you!"

"Yes you will."

"Release me now human!"

"What's with you? I don't know if you noticed but you're human too. Now, who is she? She better not be after Eizan!"

"Kagome-sama is a great human and you will never grace milord's bed! You slutty useless human." Jaken added.

"Oh you horrible little rat!" Mizaki dropped Jaken onto the flooring and was about to stomp him as he laid sprawled on the marble floor, but in the blink of an eye Jaken was pulled away. "Huh? Where did he go?"

"I would appreciate it if you did not assault my servants." Sesshoumaru announced calmly from the other side of the room with Jaken being held in midair by the fabric of his collar.

"Oh Hayakawa-san, it's just a misunderstanding. We were just having a nice little chat about someone named Kagome."

Sesshoumaru dropped Jaken and his eyes grew thin and the wisps of red swept into his eyes. Jaken threw himself at his lord's feet begging for forgiveness. "Kagome? Really? What did you say?" but before Jaken could respond, Sesshoumaru kicked the sickly toad on the nearest wall.

"Forgive me, milord!" he pleaded as he slid down the wall to collapse into a puddled mess upon the floor.

"You will be severely punished Jaken."

"Hai."

"This Kagome must be important if you wish not to speak of her. Did she break your heart or something?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes began to bleed red as the oblivious human hit to close to the truth. 'Damn you Mizaki, even when you're clueless you torment me about Kagome's betrayal.'

"But you know Hayakawa-san, I can fix whatever ails you…"

Sesshoumaru ignored her and picked up Jaken and marched back to the elevator. But before he entered the elevator he looked over his shoulder and glared back at the scheming woman, and uttered in his most threatening, cold, emotionless voice. "I grow bored at your pathetic attempts at seducing me. You will stop or you will lose more than your job." The elevator opened and the Taiyoukai and his servant left Mizaki dumbfounded on the foyer. As the elevator opened up, Sesshoumaru stared down his useless servant as he cowered in one of the corners of the elevator.

"Jaken what did you tell her?"

"Nothing milord! I spoke nothing of your human!"

"You lie." Sesshoumaru said calmly. Sesshoumaru could see years of secrecy and planning being needlessly tossed aside because his servant could not keep quiet. He threw his arm out and placed his clawed hand an inch away from Jaken's face and began to secrete his poisonous acid from his palm. "Now do you care to tell me what you told her?"

The fumes already began to affect the toad as he inhaled the dangerous poison. "Milord all I did was to say her name. I said nothing about her being your mate! The whore knows nothing of her. Forgive me milord, for my stupidity!"

Sesshoumaru stopped producing his acid, and grabbed the toad by his thick greasy neck and pulled him into his eye level. "Beware Jaken, all these years of servitude means nothing to me. If you ever speak of her again you will die. I can not afford to miss this opportunity due to your lack of control." He gave Jaken's neck a tight squeeze to help get his point across till Jaken begged for forgiveness.

"Hai milord! I understand!" He dropped the toad onto the floor and he collapsed into the fetal position on the cold hard steel floor of the lift. They remained in hostile silence until the doors opened mechanically to reveal the last floor of the building.

The floor revealed a simple but elegant room, meant for people who were kept waiting. It was a theme of red, black and white. All the couches and chairs were black leather and the tables were wood with a dark cherry red finish. The walls of the room were a cream, but with the lighting effect, the walls were shadowed. On the far wall, a bar and TVs showed only the stock market and the news. And nearby a butler who was to wait on those who waited for the meetings. On both sides of the floor were off shoots of offices and boardrooms.

He left Jaken in the elevator and walked into the closest room. The room was plain in its simplicity. It only had a large black table with lots of chairs that surrounded the table. He soon joined the others that already occupied several of the chairs.

"Ohayo gozaimasu Hayakawa-san," and old wrinkled who sat near the edge of the rectangular table.

"Ohayo gozaimasu," as everyone else followed suit with saying good morning.

"Ohayo minna." Sesshoumaru went to his chair that was the end of the table, the people he was hoping to buy out were on the other side.

"Hayakawa-san it is good that you have made it to this meeting on such short term notice."

"Let's get this over with and do away the pleasantries. I have something to get back to in Tokyo."

"Hai, that is understandable, now Hayakawa-san you proposed a sum of hundred and twelve million-"

"Actually I was thinking seventy million, Mizaki thought to offer far more than your worth."

"NANI!" a unison of lawyers squawked as they leapt from their seats from the shocking revelation.

"I mean exactly what I said, your worth is only seventy million."

"But Mizaki reassured us that the deal would be hundred and twelve million!"

"I see. But she forgets her place and you do realize that nothing is finalized until I approve, so her assurances are nothing more than empty promises."

"Good for nothing bastard," The young owner of the dying company whispered underneath his breath, but to Sesshoumaru's youkai hearing, he heard him loud and clear as if he was sitting right next to the bitter man. It was the first thing that he said since the beginning of the meeting started. Sesshoumaru directed his glare towards the human that dared to mock him, and he began to release his youki slowly in the room. As the minutes passed he smelled their supposed unfounded fear. The humans shifted around nervously as the air was immersed with Sesshoumaru's youki aura. The perfect tool to intimidate the weak humans unnoticed to make things go his way.

The group of men around the young business owner huddled closer as if they were trying to make a plan without any of the opposition knowing anything. The only one to speak was an old man that sat to the right of Hayakawa's business nemesis. Sesshoumaru noticed that his eyesight kept traveling to him, as if he refused to let him out of his sight. The young man had a look to him as he was bored but had a bit sinister look to his clear face.

Although their discussion was only meant for a few, Sesshoumaru clearly heard their plans and silently prepared to cut them off.

"Ayaoki-san perhaps you should settle for this. No one else is offering for your company."

"No, you old fool. I will not settle for seventy million. If I can't have what that bitch offered I will look to other buyers."

"But Ayaoki-san there are no oth-"

"This is not our last option. If Hayakawa won't settle then I'll merge with Sonagi and-"

'Oh interesting… He is willing to do that. He is smarter than I thought,' Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he continued to listen to their conversation.

"But sir! Sonagi is taking a beating from other businesses. It is too much of a risk."

"I don't care! I will get what I came here for!"

"Sir at least use that option if Hayakawa won't reopen the negotiations-"

"Perhaps we should reconvene tomorrow, it seems that you have to reorganize for our negations. I would hate to take advantage of your weak state." Sesshoumaru interrupted snidely.

Ayaoki bid his time and sent Sesshoumaru a hard stare, and leapt out of his chair and his circle of lawyers followed suit.

Sesshoumaru waited until he heard all of Ayaoki's entourage had completely left the floor before setting his plan into action.

"Kiba get me the information on Songai immediately and have Nishimura brought up here."

"Hai Hayakawa-san." The thirty-something Kiba jumped out of his chair and dashed out of the room in a hurry to get Nishimura up to his employer. Kiba could only wonder why he would have Nishimura brought up. He personally thought her to be a bit creepy, it was not that she was a horrible person but she never really talked and her eyes had a dark red tint to them and they seemed so emotionless. But if his boss need her then it was important as Nishimura always got the job done, although no one really knew what that was.

But as he went to get the job done he could only remember the look his boss gave him, it was the same look that Hayakawa's father had whenever he had a brilliant plan to get what he wanted. His excitement grew as he waited in anticipation of what Hayakawa-san had in store for Ayaoki.

Ayaoki Koshiro had a horrible reputation. He was a man of circumstance and that was the only thing he had in common with Hayakawa-san. He was a vicious sort of character one would read out of manga were the evil character of the plot would un-dauntingly destroy anything to get the one thing he wanted no matter how small or in significant the item or person was. He even looked the part of an evil villain, as he had unnatural colored eyes, a deep cherry color. They seemed to have the ability to leave an unwavering capacity to look possessed, and it left you with the strange feeling that his eyes followed you wherever you went, like those haunted paintings as you walk past. His short black hair was a well brushed and maintained but, his bangs hung freely in front of his eyes to give a shadowed effect and made him a eerie effect and his eyes just seemed to glow behind the shroud of hair. Too add, to, the villainous look, the only color that was only seen on Ayaoki was black but he had the odd sense to wear a silver trench coat over all the black.

Sesshoumaru had the plan all worked out and if everyone played their parts right, then he would have Ayaoki's company far less then they would have appreciate it and Ayaoki would know who the 'big dogs' were, sort of speak. Well the only thing to do was to wait for the new day, and hope that he could get back to Tokyo sooner and watch until the time has come.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sesshoumaru sat at the edge of his black marble desk with his attorneys and etc..., of business employees that proved to have some intellect were with him on his side of the long table, awaiting Ayaoki's party. He was late, and lateness usually proved a weakness that was upon them if they could not show up to a meeting that would decide the future of his dying company.

Sesshoumaru drummed his claws against the table lightly, a habit he picked up from Kagome over five hundred years prior. It was a habit of hers, she drummed her nails whenever they were at an important function, or she was bored from work, and he unwittingly picked it up.

Suddenly his ears flickered as he heard the buzz of the elevator as it was pulling up to the floor; he could smell Ayaoki and his dimwitted minions from the elevator. Within minutes, Ayaoki and his legion of followers waltzed into the boardroom.

Sesshoumaru could tell that Ayaoki and several of his lawyers and workers had close to little or no sleep. It seemed that they were busy all night long trying to find a way around his proposal but Hayakawa was confident in his intelligence, business decisions, and his capability to frighten people into getting what he wanted, that he knew that Ayaoki had no chance but to accept his offer.

Ayaoki glared fiercely at Hayakawa as he took his seat at the edge of the black table, his eyes never leaving Sesshoumaru's, but he stared back just intense. Ayaoki did not even to seem to notice that all his lackeys took their seats around him and awaiting his orders.

Sesshoumaru decided to break the cold tension within the room and between him and Ayaoki. He deterred the eye contact from Ayaoki with his dark eyes still staring at him knowing that the troubled businessman hated having eye contact broken during conversations that he was part of, "I see that you finally decided to show up. I expected you here earlier, but I noticed that you must have stayed up all night long doing that what I already know… trying to save yourselves from the inevitable."

"Nice try Hayakawa but that scare tactic won't work on me. I know better than to fall for your pitiful attempts at intimidating me."

At that remark Sesshoumaru could not help but show macroscopic smirk at Ayaoki, even when drowning in his own stupidity he still held on to his rude tenacity and demeanor, he could not help but laugh at it.

"Ah, but Ayaoki that was no attempt, I was just simply stating the fact. And someone like you would know not to dispute with fact."

"Ha ha, Hayakawa-san let us resume our negotiations over the worth of my company, for I know I could banter with you all day."

"True, but you were the one who wasted away your precious minutes by being late. For all I know you can afford to lose more."

The tension swarmed around the room, everyone in the room could feel it but the only ones that seemed immune to the pressure were Hayakawa and Ayaoki. They seemed to ignore it as they glared at each other with much visible hatred as seen by all the unnoticed men that sat at the table. Hayakawa and Ayaoki seemingly acted as if they were the only men in the room. They were blinded by the need to argue, dismay, and overpower each other with words. It was safe to say no one would be able to see the outcome of this meeting.

Sesshoumaru watched as Ayaoki's fist tightened and his eyes constrict from anger, but Ayaoki was better than to let him be ruffled by him, he had a strong control over his emotions- for a human.

"Well I am here now, so lets get this over with, unless you do like spending time with me and this is how you show it."

"Illusions of grandeur really, you can only hope that I would like you and take it easy on you. As that won't happen, my original price stands seventy million, no more and possibly less as I am offering more than its worth."

"I can't and I won't accept that measly pocket change. You clearly underestimated my company's worth."

"You should now by now I never underestimate anything. Your company in my opinion is nothing and worthless in your hands. You've destroyed any and all potential for it, and I am here to collect something that could be profitable to me."

"You are too sure of yourself Hayakawa."

Sesshoumaru reached for his briefcase, pulled out a black report, and opened it slowly. He allowed himself to review the insides before answering the dare given to him by Ayaoki. "On the contrary Ayaoki. My terms stand, as they are perfectly reasonable. Take in account for the utter loss of profit, lack of interest from investors, loss of work force, the stockowners are abandoning their shares, and you had an unfortunate mishap at one of your factories that resulted in a electrical fire-"

"How did yo-"

"How did I know? With you, being so secretive about your properties? Simple, I prefer knowing everything that goes on by my potential profits, or competitors. If I could continue without being interrupted."

Which resulted with an intense glare from Ayaoki.

"Where was I? Ah yes, the electrical fire that prevented you from keeping up with the competition. Seventy million is more than your actual worth..."

"How dare you!"

"… This is simply the truth." Sesshoumaru looked down and flipped through the bleak report before continuing. "Seventy million is more than your recent income as of late. You used to make one hundred and thirty-five million a year, but for the past three years, you barely raked in a total of sixty million dollars at net loss of three hundred and forty-five million dollars. Seventy million is reasonable for such mismanaged company as yours."

Ayaoki tightened his fist until they almost were at the point of bleeding and his jaws were clenched. He was sick of enduring the humiliation that he was forced to sit through. Hayakawa had done his homework, but then again so had he, since it was apparent that Hayakawa was proving to be difficult and he was refusing to relent. He was forced to pull out his trump card. He was going to merge with Sonagi. And possibly find a better CEO to run his company, than the last one.

Sesshoumaru watch the emotions swirl in Ayaoki's dark eyes, he was thinking of something, and he could help but notice that he was jaws were clenched tight, it was apparent that he had gotten under his skin, perfect. Ayaoki could control himself well but he was only human. But there was an elemental change in him, he could not place it, but it seemed familiar.

Ayaoki took a deep breath and forced his anger down, he knew that Hayakawa was the type to sense weak emotions. "That may be so, but my company isn't dead yet and as long as it breathes, it will comeback."

"Oh? And why would you say that?"

"Because like you Taiyoukai, I still have my trump card."

An underlying wave of confusion crashed down on all the occupants of the chairs in the meeting. No one understood what Ayaoki was talking about or to whom. There were murmurs of questions and shared confusion amongst the human lawyers and fellow CEO's as they inquired quietly to each other about the sudden introduction of the strange and surprising word such as 'Taiyoukai'.

'Taiyoukai? Interesting. He isn't who he appears to be.' Sesshoumaru thought as he sensed the spreading confusion within the humans. Ayaoki had a peculiar look on his face as he stared unwaveringly into his eyes. Something that not many has done in his long lifetime. He could recall every person who had the gall and he could count on two hands. Something strange was with Ayaoki and he be damned if he didn't check into this startling turn of events.

"Correct I am aware of your little trump card. Let's say I neutralized that irritating problem."

"Nani?" Ayaoki asked sinisterly, not truly believing what he said. He whipped around to one of the people to his side and whispered into his ear and the minion pulled out a cell phone and began dialing away. Ayaoki sat tensely as he waited for the news the lackey would report with. As he waited, he glared at Hayakawa as if he could feel the hate rolling off him.

"Ayaoki I'm afraid that Sonagi will be on no use to you now, as I terminated any possible merge between you and that little company."

Ayaoki could not help but growl, he refused to believe him, but it was known that Hayakawa family never lied about anything. He was interrupted from his snarling, the lawyer of his with the cell phone had just gotten the results. He leaned over and whispered quietly as if he was apprehensive to tell him the bad news.

The look on his face grew darker and darker from the findings; he slammed his fists onto the desk and screamed as he hunched over the long marble table, "You fucking Inu! I'll kill you!"

Sesshoumaru calmly asked, "Really? How so?"

Still hunched over the table, his reflection seen clearly on the black shine of marble, he had a look of complete anguish and hatred. Those who were fortunate not to have their glare on them, was slowly inching away from him, as he were to explode from fury. "Everybody out!" he snarled under his breath, but his order was clearly heard, and they wasted no time as they rushed from the room as if their lives depended on it, leaving Ayaoki alone with Hayakawa and his drones.

"Everyone leave."

"Hayakawa-san, is that wise?"

"Do not make me repeat myself." Everyone quietly left the fuming Ayaoki and Sesshoumaru, the stature of calmness alone in tension-ridden room. "Well Ayaoki will you accept my offer as you have no other choice."

"I have no choice but to accept that insubstantial offering. But be warned Taiyoukai, next time I won't be screwed and I will not look the fool."

"I doubt that as you do that perfectly well on your own."

"Five hundred years and you are still arrogant Taiyoukai. How's little Kagome? Is she still your play thing?"

At that comment, Sesshoumaru leapt out of his black Italian chair, landed on the long stretch of table and it collapsed under the stress of the force of his jump. He wrapped his long slender claws around Ayaoki's neck and knocked him into the offending wall. Sesshoumaru could feel his pulse vibrating delicately beneath his fingers as he tightened his grip.

This situation would have been like any other for Sesshoumaru while threatening a human but the crazed look on Ayaoki's face spoke either wise, he showed no fear, no anger, just cold malice and hatred. Most humans would have trembled under such a threat, but Ayaoki's wickedness and lunacy seemed to flourish unexpected as if he had been in a similar situation before.

Just the thought of Ayaoki teasing him about his mate and taunting it in front of him was unacceptable as his anger began to seep out of his aura. His mask began breaking as he tried to hold on to the concealing spell, but the royal markings on his cheeks and forehead began to appear on his face.

Silence broke out within the room; the only sounds that could be heard were the low growls that Sesshoumaru was emitting and the cold, evil crackle Ayaoki made at the expense of the person who held the power to end his life.

"My, my Taiyoukai, so protective over a human, a miko non the less. All this time I thought she was just a whore, a plaything thing for your amusement."

Sesshoumaru's immediate response was to snarl and squeeze the already tender flesh and squandered more breath out him until he was at the point of turning blue, but did not allow him the satisfaction of falling unconscious. Ayaoki's eyes were bulging out of his head, but he still held the same crazed look on him as if daring him to end his life. He slowly released him but allowed him to have a firm hold on him.

"You do not know of what you speak of human." Sesshoumaru growled. He watched as Ayaoki's eyes rolled back and then in another moment, he was staring into Sesshoumaru's striped and snarling face and he look- confused? He looked down to see Sesshoumaru's crimson striped hand around his neck and a bristled eyebrow was raised as if silently asking himself about his current predicament.

"I am human aren't I? Then again, we all are human Hayakawa. I think you should remove your hand from my neck. I do not know how that got there but I would hate for 'the great Hayakawa' to be thrown in prison for my murder. You do realize that they punish for such a crime?"

Sesshoumaru was at a lost. There seemed to two different people within Ayaoki. One knew him as Sesshoumaru the lord of the Western lands, though he had yet to refer as such, and another that recognized him as Hayakawa. The question was which one was the true Ayaoki. Was it possible that he simply suffered from a weak human mental disorder, or was it more? Did this supposed alternate personality capable of so much more than a normal human. The theories ran through his head as his grip slackened. It was pointless to threaten this 'Ayaoki' as it was apparent that he did not remember their confrontation just moment prior. As his anger dissipated his concealing mask was properly hiding his marks.

Before Sesshoumaru could catch himself, he asked a simple confusing question. "Who are you?" and by the unmistakable look of puzzlement on Ayaoki's troubled face, he did not seem to understand the question at all.

Ayaoki choose to ignore the troubling question and changed the subject. "I suggest you let me go so we could finalize this arrangement. I know we both just can't stand here and wait the world to end."

"I asked you a question."

Ayaoki could not help but glare back at the other man, "I am Ayaoki Koshiro, owner of Shikuro Corporations and of the Toshiki Company which you just bought out. So what about you Hayakawa? Who are you beneath all the mystery?" he hissed out the last part full of revulsion.

Sesshoumaru relinquished his dying hold on the human, walked back to the other side of the room, and gathered his briefcase and the portfolio that was knocked over the floor all while keep track of Ayaoki. He was not stupid, Ayaoki was a threat of some kind and he would keep up his guard. He sauntered back over to Ayaoki who had a hand to his neck checking for bruising, but Sesshoumaru could tell that Ayaoki was again controlling himself.

But he nearly flinched when Sesshoumaru pulled a contract from his briefcase, "This is the contract, it has every thing that we had agreed to. Sign it and we can go about our business." He said in a professional manor that acted like none of the destruction that laid around them was nothing.

"I will have my lawyers look over this before I do anything."

"A wise choice but it is unnecessary."

"I'm just keeping an eye out for myself, your word be damned." Ayaoki snatched the papers out of Sesshoumaru's hand grabbed his own briefcase and headed towards the door. Before he left he looked over his shoulder and checked out the damage from the altercation he did not remember. "You are going to need a new table Hayakawa. Next time don't get something so cheap, apparently yours won't hold up on the job." And with that, he walked out leaving Sesshoumaru with the debris that was once his boardroom.

'This is quite interesting. They both don't realize anything. The Taiyoukai and the human are clueless, but in time, I will make myself known to them both. The future has much in store for the Western lord, his family and this simple human. I can wait, after all a few months are nothing to the time that I have waited.'

Sesshoumaru stood and watched the area that area that Ayaoki walked out of as he replayed the entire brawl inside his head. There was a feeling that he some how 'knew' the person he assaulted, for he seemed familiar, but for the life of him he could not place it. But now was not the time to investigate a supposed ghost if there was one, he had more important things to be concerned with.

He left the boardroom and walked over to the stairwell. He was not in the mood to wait for the elevator and smell the lingering odor of Ayaoki and his henchmen. With his youkai speed, he ran down all to the first floor, but he hesitated when he smelled the disgusting body odor of Ayaoki's men. He waited until he heard the same man exit the elevators and meet up with his crew.

With his youkai hearing, he heard tidbits of inquires the subordinates had asked of their employer, and he was not surprised that Ayaoki himself didn't know the answer whenever they asked about his outbursts and his unknown references to 'Taiyoukai' and 'Inu'. He waited for all the humans to leave, as he did not want any lingering questions, harassment or annoyances by them, had enough of that sort of thing from his own people.

He excited the stairwell and found Jaken trying to ignore the Mizaki wench, but with her she was hard to ignore, her piercing voice made sure of that. He slid up behind them with ease and interrupted their little squabble.

"Jaken we are done for today."

"Milord?" Jaken asked as turned around and bumped into his master's legs.

Sesshoumaru looked down to see Jaken sprawled out of the floor, "Jaken once again you proved your usefulness. Come now or do you wish to stay here?"

"No milord I am coming." He squawked as he attempted to get off the floor to follow his master who already began to leave him, but the forgotten Mizaki impaled a six-inch heel in his back, forcing him back on the ground beating him to Sesshoumaru.

"Hayakawa-san! Ayaoki and his group just left, they seemed confused and angry, how did the meeting go?" Sesshoumaru ignored her all the way outside, but Mizaki pursued her questioning as the limousine pulled up. "Did he take the one hundred and twenty million? I personally dealt with this on-"

"No he didn't take it." Sesshoumaru interjected her babble, leaving her gaping in confusion.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I negotiated a different deal."

"Really? Ayaoki was fine with the hundred and twenty million."

The limousine driver came around and opened the door for Sesshoumaru but he refused to go in. He was intending to put Mizaki in her place. "The new deal was far more reasonable than your original account. For now on I would prefer if you would discuss with me before hand what you plan to do before I am forced to deal with people unprepared."

Mizaki's face faulted, the condescending tone he was using for her was humiliating and condescending as if she were some schoolgirl. She was confused on why Hayakawa was disappointed in her handling of the Toshiki account, as that was difficult as Ayaoki refused to hear anything less than what he wanted. But she could forgive him; after all, there was nothing she wouldn't do for him. She would make him see that, but as of right then she would hold her tongue.

She inched closer to him, standing on her toes, she placed a hand on his arm and inched closer to him and looked at him with all the hints of womanly needs. She whispered gently as seductive as possible, "I'm sorry Hayakawa-san perhaps we can go over this later. I know a small intimate place where we won't be bothered about- business."

Sesshoumaru looked down at the shorter woman and placed a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were full of temptation and her lips were formed into a devilish grin, lecherous thoughts ran through her head. He bent closer and whispered back into her ear, "You will stop your pitiful attempts at this seduction of me. You are the filth beneath my shoes. I will not hesitate shredding your father's contract and go to court over this matter, if it means releasing you from my torment. One more incident of this and you are fired, your father and family be damned."

He shoved her that she landed hard on the concrete sidewalk. She had dropped her purse in surprise that the contents had spilled out; feminine products and personal items littered the sidewalk. She looked horrified but he ignored her as he entered the limousine. Jaken soon made an appearance and followed his lord into the car. The driver shut the door and began pulling away from the sidewalk, Sesshoumaru watched as Mizaki picked up her belongings. Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his servant,

"Jaken."

"Yes milord?"

"Have someone clean the boardroom and order me a new table."

"Milord? Which boardroom?"

"The one that was recently occupied by Ayaoki and his humans. I want the room removed of the stench and get me new chairs and a table. Don't make me repeat myself for a third time."

"What kind of table do you need?"

"Just get me an identical one, it does not matter to me."

The ride back to the hotel was a short trip made in silence. Sesshoumaru waited in the limousine as he belongings were brought down from his room. He was supposed to stay one more day, but he wanted to leave as soon as possible. He could have the contract mailed to him after Ayaoki had signed it, and he wished to be rid of the whore. He needed to be in Tokyo, he needed to be with his family and most of all he needed to see Kagome.

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With their father gone, the role of guardian angels was bestowed upon Kado and Shippou. They did not mind, in fact they loved watching their mother unnoticed while she was in her era. It was like watching another Kagome at work. She was quite carefree, as she never had to worry about things that would try to kill her. All the strange phrases she used and the style of clothing that confused everyone in the past, but in this present time, she did not stand out amongst the hundreds of humans. It seemed funny to them that she finally had a place to fit in and it took Shippou and Sesshoumaru five hundred years to understand it.

For the children it was time they cherished as they spent their days with her although she had no clue. It was especially important for Kado who had the shortest time with her out of all the demons in the family. He treasured every moment that he witnessed or eavesdropped and it made their mission so much more important whenever they were around her, as it seemed possible that they could actually change history.

With the sun rising for a new day, Shippou and Kado were ready to begin the day. Instead of usual attire of expensive suits and their normal concealing spell, they were to protect their mother in normal clothes and a different concealing spell that warped their natural features. They had to take such precaution, as the damned paparazzi loved hunting them down. Ever since the Paris Hilton sex tape, The Apprentice aired and the article that featured their father as the most eligible bachelor of the business world, they became a topic of gossip and part of a popularity that belong to the television and movie stars. It was simply that businessmen were in the in crowd and they saw no end in sight.

Kado and Shippou stood on the roof of their building and watched as the sun rose over their mother's shrine house, they just stood and watched until the house shown signs of life. Shippou headed down first, knowing that Kado liked staying a bit longer. Kado left after a few more minutes went to his place to change and meet up with his brother, knowing Shippou would be waiting in the lobby of the apartment complex they lived in.

Kado found Shippou lounging on the bench reading another gossip article about the rich and famous that they reluctantly belonged to. Shippou wore tight blue jeans that were ripped and ragged around the bottom of the legs as his pants went past his heel and his shirt was a simple white shirt that freely proclaimed Dir en grey's greatness.

"Nice shirt."

Shippou looked up and found his brother hovering over him with a questionable look. He looked down and took noticed the shirt he was wearing. "What about you? Going clubbing?"

Kado looked over his clothing, and found Shippou's assessment over rated. He wore tight black jeans that had graffiti written all over them in English, his shirt was a long purple shirt that seemed to be stretch over his chest, showing his muscles and the black pinstripe jacket finished the look that gave a punk feel to it. The completed Shikon no Tama hung around his neck with the righteous dull shine to it.

"Yeah thanks, you like?" Shippou just ignored him and went back to his article. "I didn't know you liked them." Kado asked as he took a seat next to his brother.

"Dir en grey? Yeah they are awesome. My favorite band, I just have to be careful when listening to them, I'm tempted every time to turn up the stereo, but I would blow out my hearing. But you wouldn't know that as Father had all of our places soundproofed."

"I know that geez, you just love talking down to me don't you." Kado asked as he ripped the news article out of his brother's hand.

"That was rude you know." Shippou said as he pulled the magazine back, "I wouldn't be a big brother if I didn't get to do it." Shippou ignored Kado until he was finished with the article.

"I can't believe that you read those things, its all just garbage."

"Its not when you're in the article." Shippou retorted.

"Nani?"

"Yeah, Father is in the article- again. It just says that he is still single and looking, which you know is a complete lie and it mentions him being spotted in Okinawa."

"Lucky for us that we weren't mentioned huh?"

"Don't be hexing us baka. But then again you do get noticed by the female population."

"You hentai, Miroku must have rubbed of on you."

"Yeah, but you can't go wrong with a little attention now can you?"

"But there is a difference between attention and whoring, and those are all the kinds that you've been getting from those articles." Kado said, a winning blow in a brotherly game they played.

"Ah shut up, you can be mean when you want to. Well let's go I'm sure that Okasan is running late again."

"Looks like I win again, eh Ryozo?"

"Whatever Matsuyo," Shippou put down the article and they stood up and walked out of the building and turned down the alley between their apartment complex and another building and Kado chanted another concealing spell to change his appearance while Shippou used his fox magic to change his looks.

When they were done, they no longer looked themselves, as Kado no longer had his long light brown almost blond hair and his pale skin from his usual concealing spell. His hair was now short, black and spiked, which contributed to the American punk look and his skin, looked tanner. He even changed his eye color from his icy blue color to a dull light brown.

"So how do I look?" Kado asked, as he jokingly imitated male models.

"Punk."

"Great that was what I was looking for."

"What about me? I can't look stupid now can I?" Shippou also modeled but he walked around in a tiny circle giving Kado a three-sixty point of view. Instead of his fiery curly red hair, it was now purple with black highlights that reached his shoulder, and his eyes were black with blue specks.

"You look great but aren't we supposed to stand in not out?"

"Does it matter as long we don't look like ourselves? We can do the chicken dance in front those reporters and they wouldn't know it's us. We just look like 'hipsters' walking around; we'll fit in with everyone else. Besides purple is a great color and I think that I look damn good in it."

"Ha ha, let's go don't want to be late now do we?"

"I doubt that, so do you want to walk or take a cab?"

"Let's walk, you don't want to miss those fan girls of ours now do we?" Kado joked. Shippou gave him hurtful look before sticking his tongue out, but he waved Kado over as they began their trek trough Tokyo.

As they walked towards their mother's high school, they received many stares, mostly by woman, which Shippou ate up; Kado was less enthusiastic as he was the shy one of the family. Though for the most part no one thought that they were special, just two good-looking guys walking down the street. Not once, any photographers harassed them.

They soon reached close to where their mother lived, and they could tell that she was running late again. They could hear her running around trying to put things in order, with her mother attempting to calm her down in her haste. They sat down on a bench on the edge of the sidewalk so that they were far enough not to be seen by her or her family but capable of hearing everything that went on in the house, despite the noise of all the cars nearby.

"So what's the plan for today?"

"I don't know Shippou. We just make sure that she gets to school, then hang out nearby till school is over and then follow her home. That is of course if she and her friends don't make their trip to Wacdonald's, then just go inside after her and hang out."

"Isn't that little close for comfort? Father would kill us if we got that close to her."

"Hey if it means keeping an eye out for her, who really cares."

"No not that, she's a miko and her skills have been improving since the last time she was here, she could sense us."

"That should not be a problem I will just cover up our demon aura, it's not to difficult. Besides, if she can't sense us now, what makes you think she will sense us in the restaurant?"

"I don't know, Okasan was always the one to surprise us." As they sat waiting, Shippou pulled out his cell phone and checked his messages. He had no new messages, he could only guess that his father had everything under control in Okinawa. "Do you think that Father is behaving himself in Okinawa?" he asked as he placed his cell phone back into his pocket.

"Of course unless some baka insults him or annoys him, you know he tends to forget that he can't threaten people anymore."

"I meant the Mizaki whore. Ten to one without us there he already killed her."

"I'll take that bet, Father isn't stupid. He would have Jaken do it." Shippou and Kado looked at each other, with looks of grim seriousness, but the masks began to shatter as they both tried to keep their laughter in. The race was on. Shippou was losing, as he had to place his hands on his mouth to keep himself from bursting out from laughter, Kado was doing a better job, but Shippou had a new tactic to use on his brother. He started staring into Kado's already shaky eyes without blinking. Kado couldn't keep it in any longer, he laughed out loud, losing to the low tactic and Shippou joined him soon after.

As their laughter died down, they noticed that the shrine house was lacking the hectic noise that accompanied a rushed occupant, which meant that Kagome was on her way to school. They got up from their bench hid themselves as she quickly walked past. Kado and Shippou silently agreed that was too close, they could not screw up again. They watched her meet up with her schools friends who looked happy to see her and they made their way to their high school. Kado and Shippou removed themselves from their hidden place amongst the trees and stepped back onto the concrete.

"Shippou you got some leaves in your hair." Kado pointed near his ear, as Shippou combed out the leaves.

"That was too close you know." Shippou reminded.

"And you were worried about WacDonald's." Kado rebutted.

Shippou's response to Kado was a simple shove and forced him to began their walk to Tokyo High. Of all the things they had to do hanging outside of a high school that was filled with smelly, sexually frustrated teens, was the worst thing while watching over their mother. Their sense of smell was always twisted into a useless sense as the body of students covered up her sweet smell. And their hearing was not better off, high schools kids knew how to be loud and they used it.

They stood across the street and watched as tall the students marched into their, school, they saw their mother with a crowd of her friends, they also noticed the Hojo guy inching up to her and went by unnoticed. Kado and Shippou both found it funny that he constantly bothered her about going out on dates and the presents he kept giving her, but their father hated the attention she received.

He hated the human. He once flew into a rage after the human asked her out and they went out, it took everything to stop their Father from storming into the restaurant when they were on their date and killing him. Shippou had to use his kitsune tricks on him and have his hands held under a stone, like he did to Inuyasha when they first met. Since then as a rule their father was not allowed near the high school, as a precaution from harming the kid.

From afar, Kado and Shippou watched with glee as Hojo was shot down for another date, in spite of the fact that they saw the guilt on their mother's face. They thought the situation was funny as now matter what the human did he would never win the heart of their mother. He was just one of several suitors and it meant nothing as she was 'fated' to one who she would have never thought possible.

The gathering of students ended as the new school day began as they were ushered inside to begin their learning. But it marked the beginning of boredom for Kagome's hanyou and kitsune protectors, as the school was one of the least enticing places for danger.

From across the high school, Kado and Shippou used their youkai abilities and leapt on top of the buildings facing the high school. It was a favorite place for them to watch the school. As the building, they resided on top of smelt of pastries and sweets something, which they both loved. There on the roof they stashed chairs and umbrellas that were used for shade, as they were no tall buildings to offer any. They sat there for hours, talking, watching and waiting.

"Hey Shippou it's almost lunch time."

"Yeah, I know."

"You want anything from the shop below?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

"Oh right I forgot. Never mind." Kado hopped down from the top of the pastry store and walked in. He and Shippou knew the store very well as they usually got something for everyday that their mother was at school. Of all the things that rubbed off on him by Shippou, he was happy that he received a sweet tooth, but not as bad. His brother could live off chocolate, but Kado was not too sure that he could.

Kado found his and Shippou's sandwiches and as he passed up the aisles he found a very tasty morsel, on the self. He could not resist, it looked so good. He took his prize and walked up to the counter and placed his food on the counter.

"Konnichiwa, Matsuyo-san. I see that you changed your hair again." The store owner said. She knew Kado very well, as she had special items only for him and his brother, as they always came to her shop. Loyal customers for a few years.

"You like Abi? I got to change it every now and again. Can't be like everyone else now can we?"

"You are the only one that I know that changes your hair to go with your clothes."

"But it works." Kado and Abi broke into laugher. For an old lady she was very current with the times. "Hey do you have our food?"

"Of course. Matsuyo-san." She smiled as reached for the food that was prepared for Matsuyo-san and his brother Ryozo. She placed next to the food, two desserts that she created herself. Only the two brothers had that privilege.

"Sugoi! Abi you out did yourself."

"It is no big feat."

"Thanks, Abi. Here's my card."

"What about your id? Matsuyo-san?" A sinister smile grew on her wrinkled face, when she was in a teasing mode she always cracked the same smirk.

"You have to be kidding? You never asked before. And I don't have one on me." Kado said as he patted himself down to help convey the meaning that he did not have it.

"Hai, hai Matsuyo-san. You know you always have to ruin my fun." Kado just rolled his eyes and reached for the receipt to sign for it. He handed the bill back as she bagged his food and placed his part of his receipt, and Kado picked up his stuff and headed for the door. Before he left he waved goodbye, as the door closed.

Kado headed into the alley with his food, he made sure that there was no one around before he leapt on top of Abi's store. Before he could catch himself, Shippou was already on him demanding his food.

"Shippou matte yo. I just got up here." Before Kado could do anymore Shippou stole the bag and ran back to his seat, leaving Kado near the edge of the store. Kado walked to his seat, listening to the cries of plastic being destroyed by Shippou's claws. Kado helped himself to his food. He was not in the playing mood at the moment so, he was not going to tease him about the new dessert he got. Shippou was just annoying whenever he was around food. Like Miroku told him so long ago that Shippou took up his uncle's eating habits, then was promptly hit on the head by none other than his uncle Inuyasha.

A few more hours passed. Shippou and Kado were growing restless it was almost time for school to be over.

Shippou and Kado from their hidden perch from the streets heard the school's bell going off the signaling off the end of the school day. They walked to the edge of the little pastry shoppe and looked to see if anyone was around and they jumped into the small alley. They walked out and Kado threw their food bags into a trash bin and they headed towards the school. As they got closer their mother had already made her way out of the school and with her three friends as they walked away.

They followed far behind, watching their mother and her friends walk in another direction of the shrine, they could smell in the distance, WacDonald's and they knew they were going to stop there.

"Hey Kado it looks like we get to have lunch at WacDonald's."

"Shippou just make sure you suppress your youki, and nothing will go wrong."

"Yeah I know; you don't need to remind me."

A few minutes later and they reached WacDonald's. Shippou was hesitant to go inside, he didn't want to be that close to his Mother. Not that he didn't want to it was that no matter how strong the concealing spell and his kitsune magic were he always feared that she would recognize him, or that she would somehow sense their youki and she would be on edge.

Kado ignored his brother's hesitation and walked in, and followed their mother and her friends into the line. Shippou gathered his strength and chased down Kado.

"You are really stupid you know that? Father will kill us, for this. We are not supposed to get this close," he whispered so low only Kado could hear him.

"Shippou she hasn't noticed us yet, so does it really matter? Anyway Father gets to met up with her later anyway, so what is the big deal if we stand next to her?" he muttered softly under his breath.

Their conversation was cut short as woman from behind the cash register asked what they wanted. Shippou saw from the corner of his eyes that Kagome watched them as she and her friends waited for their food. He nudged Kado and the walked up to the register.

The woman smiled gently as she took their order. They moved to allow the next customers make their orders, but their mother had already gotten her food and she sat with her gossipy friends at a booth. They received their food and they made their way on the other side of the restaurant as far from their mother and the gossiping hens, but with their youkai hearing, it was no problem hearing their conversation.

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"Yuka please let me borrow your math notes!" Kagome begged as she clasped her hands to get and bowed her head forward. "Please, I need to study and my notes are not up to date!"

"Alright I will let you borrow my notes."

"Honto ni?" Kagome looked up with glee but the look in her friends' faces made her drop her smile and a sweat drop slid down her brow.

"We will let you look at our notes if you tell us what is up with your two-timing boyfriend and your other friends." Ayumi added, with Yuka and Eri nodded in agreement.

"What? Huh? Why?" Kagome struggled to think of what to say. She honestly had nothing to add to what they already knew and it was still odd for her friends to refer as Inuyasha as her boyfriend. She never told them that he was, but she let them think that, it did not matter; Inuyasha was not here to do anything about it.

"Come on Kagome, something had to happen, anything at all?" Eri said as she dangled her math notes of Kagome.

"Nothing really. It's just the same thing as always. But he did get another fight with his brother a while ago." Kagome supplied and she knew her friends would be interested in that fact, but she didn't really care, she just wanted their math notes, and it was mean for them to bribe information from her.

"Like what? Why were they fighting again?" Ayumi asked.

"Oh you know the typical brotherly discord. We ran into his brother and they just started to fight again. I am beginning to think this is how they express their feelings. They never ever talk. Its always with their fists- or swords" She muttered under her breath.

"Kagome you know you shouldn't be around people like that." Yuka said worryingly. "With you being sick all the time."

"Oh its okay really. I bet deep down that they care. But it's not a big deal. They are not the best people to have conversations with. It was always, 'Die!' 'Give me what's mine!' 'No its mine', I swear they act five. But lately whenever we run into his brother, instead of their squabbling and fighting they just ignore each other. I honestly don't know if that is an improvement for their relationship. But I guess fighting over their differences was just getting old." Kagome finished as she took a sip from her drink.

"K that explained the brothers what your friend Miroku with that wondering hand of his and Mr. Possessive?"

Kagome put down her burger and placed her finger on her chin in a thoughtful pose. She hadn't seen Koga in a while, and silently she hoped that he was okay, though he annoyed her with 'my woman' talk she cared for him.

"Hmm Koga? I don't know I haven't seen him in awhile. Last time I saw him was at least a few months. Him and Inuyasha got in a fight again. But he had to leave… he had urgent families matters to tend to." Kagome played with her straw pulling it up and down through the plastic lid. She did not feel like finishing her food. Just thinking about her friends made her wish she were back in the Sengoku Jidai. She took one last sip of her neglected drink before continuing.

You know out of all the guys Miroku is the most sensible, but that hand of his annoys Sango and I. But I don't think that he is such a horn-dog that he makes himself to be. I think that he loves Sango and is his way of showing his by groping her."

Her friends looked at her weird but she went on explaining her logic. "Its just simply that he doesn't know what to do and the only way to get her attention is groping her and making her jealous. It's just like when little boys hit the girls. They don't really dislike them, they just don't know what to say, and hitting them is their way of showing that they like them."

"I guess so Kagome." Eri shrugged it off and they finished their food. As they promised they handed her their notes, and Kagome chirped in happiness. She flipped through their notes, and her happiness faded quickly. There were notes on problems she hadn't covered. Her little vacation from the Sengoku Jidai just became gloomy. She would have to spend the rest of her time studying trying to catch up without getting to see her friends for the rest of the time she was back home.

From across the room Shippou and Kado heard their mother's conversation with her friends. They thought it was funny. They knew that Kagome as close in her assumptions but yet she didn't realize how much she didn't know. The next few months were going to be interesting. Would she handle it knowing the outcome?

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Kagome awoke with a start, her alarm blazing in her ears. As the alarm stopped blaring, she stretched almost cat like as she rose from her bed. She had stayed up late copying her friends' notes and trying to comprehend everything that was in their notes. She feared that she couldn't be able to pass any of her math tests that were covering the same material she desperately tried to understand.

From the corner of her eye she saw the clock on her wall she would be late if she didn't hurry. She didn't need another tardy when she was heading back to the Sengoku Jidai soon. She searched through her closet to find her sailor fuku, she couldn't find one, it seemed that all her uniforms were dirty. She headed in downstairs she could smell her mother's cooking she peeked into the kitchen and her mother was tending to the meal, not noticing that Kagome there.

She found her uniforms all clean, pressed, and ready to be worn. She silently thanked her mother as she headed upstairs. With a short shower, she packed her school bag, and headed out the door. She could do without breakfast, she was late, she didn't have time to eat. She rushed out the door yelling out her goodbyes to her mother.

"Wait Kagome! You forgot your lunch!" but her efforts were wasted. Kagome was long gone, and Mrs. Higurashi couldn't drop off her daughter's bento box as she had to take Souta to the doctors later that day. Mrs. Higurashi ran out of the house hoping that she could catch up to Kagome. She got to the bottom of the shrine stairs, Kagome was long gone but she could see two people wearing school uniforms of Kagome's high school, chatting friendly.

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Kado and Shippou sat at bench near their mother's shrine. Shippou yawned deeply, he didn't particularly feel tired but it was early in the morning and the yawning was contagious as people passed them on their way to school were still tired.

"Damn I hate waking up early." Shippou whined. He laid his head back and rested against the hard wood of the bench. He yawned deeply again. Today he sported the same purple hair and black eyes and wore a paint splattered shirt and a pair of raggedy jeans.

Kado nodded in understanding. Shippou hated having to adjust to different times. They grew up waking up at dawn but ever since the beginning of the twenty first century they adjusted to waking up later, and sometimes it was tiring from having to wake to a time that your were not used to.

Kado sat bored on the bench, whenever they watched over their mother it was the same thing in the morning. She seemed never to be one time for anything. And it was the same was for this particularly morning. He could hear her rushing to get dressed. Nothing really ever happened when they were around. He couldn't deicide if that was a result of their skills at protecting her or that it was simply an act of good luck for her that kept her out of trouble. He yawned along side Shippou. His father would laugh at such an idea. However, it seemed to turn out like that. Everything that happened here, his father dealt with or Inuyasha was there to take care of it.

"Shippou she's running late again." Kado noted, and looked at his watch. She was later than usual. He wasn't surprised, judging from her looks yesterday she didn't like what she saw when she flipped through the borrowed notes and stayed up studying. Today his hair was just plain black, his eyes were a dull brown, and he too just wore a simple grey shirt that said 'What are you looking at?' in English and blue jeans.

"Yeah I know." Shippou yawned again. His eyes half closed and with his head still resting against the wooden bench.

"Is anything thing going to happen today? Or will we have to sit back and watch her from a distance?"

"Don't know. But I don't think that you should wish something would happen, it's a bad sign. I know that you want to talk to her but give it time. Father already planned it out for us to see her. What's a few weeks compared to five-hundred?"

"Yeah I know, it's just that sometimes I think the damn gods are doing this for fun. Lets' see how long they can last, before everything goes to hell."

Shippou dropped his head and rolled his eyes. Kado was certainly Kagome's pup. His thoughts ran as wild as hers. But he understood. It wasn't fair, but they would have to deal with it. "I know, but I don't see it like that. Mother has an incredible ability to get into trouble. Sooner or later something will happen. Something good something bad, who knows? But at least we get to see her almost everyday. So count your blessings. For all we know my changing the past it could destroy the whole space-time continuum."

"Shut up that's not funny I was being serious."

"Me too."

"No, you just seen to many sci-fi shows."

They quieted down, their mother ran past them in her haste ignoring them both on the bench. In the distance they could hear her mother yelling about her lunch and heard her running out in hopes of catching her.

Shippou jumped jump with a grin on his face. Kado sat perplexed of what was going on, but before he could ask Shippou yanked him off the bench and pulled him up. He knew Shippou was up to something it was the same grin he used whenever he used his kitsune trickery.

"Just follow my lead okay?"

"Wha…" and before he could finish his question there was a low blast, and a cloud appeared around them, the sign that Shippou had used his kitsune magic. When the cloud disappeared he saw that his brother was dressed in the uniform the boys were required to wear and he looked like a seventeen human. "Shippou what did you do?"

"I have an idea. You want some excitement I will give you some and if Father finds out its your fault." Shippou smiled. "Kado take a look at yourself."

He did look, he too was wearing the same uniform as him, but he still didn't understand. He looked like a high student. "What do you mean 'excitement?'" not liking what his older brother was thinking.

"Excuse me?" Shippou and Kado turned to look at the interruption; it was their 'grandmother'. She stood a polite distance while holding a bento box, in her hands. "I'm sorry about interrupting you but I noticed your uniforms, and I was hoping that you could do me a favor."

Kado glanced at Shippou again not liking where this was going. He didn't like the kitsune's random ideas. They usually went bad. Shippou still had that same grin on his face, when he used his magic.

Kado turned his attention to his grandmother and gave a warm smile. "What can we help you with?"

Mrs. Higurashi returned the grin. " I was wondering if you went to Tokyo High."

"Yes we do." Shippou said.

"Do you know Higurashi Kagome? I'm her mother and she forgot her lunch. I can't give it to her. I have to take my son to the doctors today."

"Higurashi Kagome? Hmmm I've heard about her from my little brother. He says that they are friends with her."

Kado finally understood what was going on. The kitsune should win an Oscar. He could fool almost anyone, even their father with his acting chops. He just stood watching his older brother deal with it. He wasn't much of a liar, and couldn't pull this act off.

"Your brother? Who might he be?"

"I'm Tanaka Shuichi, Tanaka Hojou is my little brother. This is my friend Mamoru." Shippou pointed to Kado and he bowed hanyou head in acknowledgement. "Hojo tells us that he and Kagome are great friends."

Mrs. Higurashi nodded knowing that Kagome cared for Hojou even though she didn't like being lavished with all the un-needed gifts. "Then if it was alright if you could give this to Kagome? She didn't have time to eat breakfast and I don't want her hungry through the day."

She handed the bento box to Shippou and bowed. "Its no problem Mrs. Higurashi I am happy I could help." Shippou and Kado bowed and turned to walk towards the school. Kado could feel Mrs. Higurashi's eyes watching them.

As they walked they turned the corner and heard their grandmother heading back did they feel it was okay to talk again.

"So this was your brilliant plan? Playing delivery boy huh?" The hanyou asked.

Shippou just smiled, with his with fangs protruding, visibly seen. "Hey it was a good idea. If you think so other wise, then I think I lost all faith in you. What happened to that carefree attitude of yours? Yesterday you were all like 'father be damned' and didn't worry about the consequences."

"Well I am free to change my mind."

"Father would disagree. But then again you act just like her sometimes."

"Really? I thought Father was the only one to think that."

"Nah, even Jaken sees her in you, and he is just a stupid toad."

As they neared the high school the familiar scents of it made them remember why they were there. They had to drop off their Mother's bento box. Though the school was familiar but they never actually knew the inside of the school looked like or where to drop it off. They would have to travel inside the unknown lair.

Suddenly Shippou's great plan began to look completely futile. They saw that they were some kids that still coming towards the entrance, they didn't seem to care that they were late. Kado ran up to one of the stragglers to ask where the main office was. He rudely told him it was one the first floor, six rooms to the left. Apparently he knew the main office well.

They marched towards the office following the directions the guy gave them. It took a lot to ignore the smells, it clouded everyone one of their senses, and they seemed to be swimming in it.

"I don't think I have ever been happy to have been tutored." Kado said. Shippou couldn't answer, he didn't hear what he said, it stench was making him lose his concentration over his little spell. Normally it would hardly be a challenge to hold his spells, it was second nature for him but the smell was everywhere.

"Damn it I hate this." Shippou muttered under his breath. They reached the office and an old woman turned and looked at them. She didn't seem happy, and neither did they. She just assumed that they didn't want to be there; all kids were like that.

Kado grabbed the box from Shippou and placed it on the counter. "This is Higurashi Kagome's lunch she forgot it."

"Alright I will send it up to her." The lady grabbed the box and turned her back on them. They didn't need to be told twice. With their youkai speed they ran out of the school not caring if anyone saw them. They got outside and as far from the smells as they could.

"Damn it Shippou I swear I would kill you for that."

"What? I didn't think it would be that bad…"

"Next time you want to wonder into that school, you are going by yourself."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Shippou waved it off as the cloud appeared with a bang and the kitsune spell was gone, replaced with their normal looks. They weren't far from their usual hang-out from the high school, when arrived to the little pastry shoppe and jumped on top. They knew that they were going to have a long day despite Shippou's little misadventure.

After the hours of waiting their mother and many of the other students she went to school with, left with an eager vigor for the weekend that was back and they welcomed with open arms and a carefree attitude of a careless nature. Shippou and Kado followed from a great distance behind their mother and her friends. They were near the shrine where Kagome lived as Kado's cell phone went off. Shippou and Kado froze one the spot and watched as Kagome and her friends went on as Kado looked at his phone. Their father was calling. Kado answered and looked at the fading shapes of his mother as she went around the corner leaving him and Shippou alone on the street.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Kado this is your father."

"Yeah I know, what's going on?"

"I am coming home early. I have transacted the business deal and Ayaoki has sold me his company so I will be back soon. I will take over and you and Shippou will go over all the paper work and make sure nothing was left out of the contract and that everything is sorted through the company as we gut it."

"Did everything go well?"

"I almost lost the bid, Mizaki gave Ayaoki high hopes on an unacceptable figure."

Shippou tugged on Kado's arm, "Hey let me talk to him!"

Kado turned from the phone to his kitsune brother, "Yeah, hold on." Kado turned back to their dad, "Hey father Shippou wants to talk to you."

"Yes I heard him, put him on."

Shippou pulled the phone out of Kado's hand, without escaping the glare of his hanyou brother gave him as Shippou answered the phone.

"Hey dad, another successful day at work?"

"Yes, Shippou. Is there something that you want?"

"Well... I was wondering about mom..."

"Shippou I told you, everything will take place on its own accord."

"I know but.."

"Shippou you need to learn patience."

"Yeah yeah, but if you don't let us I am going to seal you under a statue-"

Kado wrenched the phone out of Shippou's grip as he tried to fight back while continuing threatening him with kitsune magic. "Shippou, you are so lucky that he is in Okinawa," he cried as he yanked his phone out of his brother's hand. Shippou tried to fight back but Kado held his hand up keeping the kitsune at bay. "So are you taking a direct flight back? Will someone need to pick you up?"

"Yes I should be back in the morning, and I will have a car there for me. I want you and your brother to start as soon as possible on this. I'd rather not have a repeat of what happened last time I left you two in charge. I do not care how but make sure that Shippou does not get distracted or lazy. I am trusting you to stop him from procrastinating."

"Yeah, sure no problem."

"I have to go, take care."

"You too, and Shippou adds his apologies."

"You know he doesn't."

Click. Kado hung up and placed the phone in his pants pocket.

"You know you shouldn't speak for me like that," Shippou said as he punched Kado soft on the shoulder.

"Well you are lucky that you aren't a kid anymore, father would have killed you."

Shippou waved his hand as if fanning all worries away, as he walked down the street away from the Shikon Shrine. "Kado we got work to do, or dad will be upset for you for wasting your time."

Kado turned on his heels and chased Shippou down the sidewalk, "Haha but Father will have a harder time believing you than me. We both know you mess around whenever given the chance."

Shippou gave Kado a foxy grin, with a protruding fang glistening in the sun. "Prove it."

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"Mama I'm home!" Kagome yelled, as she ceremonially dropped her bag as she took off her shoes, she was happy the weekend arrived, despite only being in school for a few days her love of school died again as the current subject in math class caught her off guard.

Mrs. Higurashi head shot through the doorway and she had her usual warm smile on her face as she welcomed her daughter. "Kagome did you get your bento box? I have been worried that you didn't get it."

Kagome grabbed her school bag and walked past her mum, "Yeah mama!" As Kagome was halfway up the stairs on the way to her room, she heard her mum say something but she didn't quite catch it, she stopped on the stairs. Did she hear her right? "Mama what did you say?"

Mrs. Higurashi walked back into the room and stood at the bottom of the stairs. "I said could you please tell Hojou's brother and his friend thanks for taking your lunch."

"Wait Hojou's brother? ... Hojou doesn't have a brother mama. He is an only child."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah Hojou only has a little sister. Why did you think that Hojo had a brother?"

"Because the boy that brought your lunch to school said that he was Hojou's brother. He said that his name was Tanaka Suichi."

Two identical looks of confusion and growing apprehension were held on both faces of mother and daughter. Kagome left the staircase and steeled her nerves to concentrate on homework, if something were wrong wouldn't she be able to tell? Mrs. Higurashi went back to the kitchen, all thought of housework and chores left her mind as a single worry inhabited her thoughts. Without saying anything both had the same question on their mind.

Who was that guy?

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Sesshoumaru sat alone in a nice café not to far where the all the street shops that Kagome and her friends liked to shop in downtown Tokyo. His only companion was a business report and his green tea. He kept his cell phone off to keep from being bothered by work and his sons had no need to contact him, as they were still at the office watching over the Toshiki transaction. Ayaoki had finalized the deal but now Kado and Shippou were making sure that everything went smoothly.

He took a sip of tea as he sat across the street watching his mate as she left her friends in one of the stores, the only thing he could have thought to as why she was leaving was that she needed to go home to pack for the Sengoku Jidai. Knowing his half brother, he was impatient for having to wait for her. She walked down the sidewalk, carrying a little bag; she obviously had made a purchase at one of the stores. She was wearing one of her dresses, it was black and it went to her knees. The top of the piece was modestly cut low but gave no hint of teasing any staring male. Her raven hair was pulled back into a lazy bun but she had some hair free that framed her face.

She was heading his way, but he just remained in his chair and sipped his tea. His day of watching her was relatively boring, not because her that could never happen, it was that her friends of hers idea of fun, which resulted in walking around casually around stores and buying the occasional thing that caught their fancy. He did not even have to leave his spot, as they never left his line of sight, hearing or sense of smell.

He did not even notice that the waitress came around again and refilled his cup or the look-over glance she gave him. His only concern was the young woman that came his way. He almost laughed out loud when she stopped at the crosswalk and looked both ways before crossing. It was endearing on how cute and innocent she was at that moment. She skipped happily along with her little bag swinging. He could not believe how close she was now; her scent was so alluring he felt completely wrapped in its familiar aroma.

She was standing right in front of the store, and for a moment, Sesshoumaru hoped that she saw him, but it was dashed when to male punks crashed into her knocking her to the ground, but they did not even bother to stop and help her. He could not even contain the growl the escaped his lips. He wanted to help her up, but he remained seated. She seemed fine, next to the shock of landing ungracefully onto the ground.

He watched as she searched for her bag; she had dropped it when the two human punks ran into her. It was lying in the street, she kneeled to pick it up, but she did not hear the car that was coming around the corner. Sesshoumaru never hesitated as he rushed to her as the car barreled down the street, nearly missing her head.

Old feelings began to resurface as he held her close to his body. How he missed holding her, having her in his arms. It was five hundred years, but it only seemed yesterday as memories swirled around his head. He looked down to the overwhelmed look on her face, she did not seem to have gotten over the shock of nearly having her head taken off. Nor did it seem that she was aware that he was holding her. She was clutching the bag tightly that her knuckles were turning white. But she still looked beautiful.

Kagome was still, the fear of dying was washing away, but the shock numbed her senses. It was a minute before she registered that she was all right and that a stranger was holding her. The first thing she noticed it was male and he wore a very nice dark grey suit. She could feel his sculptured arms around her waist. She was almost too afraid to look up, but she followed the black silk tie, she could see the muscular chest, and her heart began to beat faster as her eyes traveled higher and higher.

'Wow he is tall.' She thought as continued her examination. 'Oh Kami-sama he's beautiful,' when she finally looked at her savior. His face was angelic and his cinnamon eyes just seemed to glow from the mask of concern on his face. His light brown hair seemed perfect as the bangs hung over his radiant eyes. A blush grew over her cheeks and a small nervous laugh escaped. His only response was a perfectly shaped eyebrow was raised at her.

"Are you alright?" Sesshoumaru asked. But as he did, he hoped to Kami that she would not recognize him. But a part of him hoped she did.

"Um, I think so?" Kagome was starting to get uncomfortable in his arms and Sesshoumaru sensed her discomfort let go immediately although he wished that he could have held her forever on that sidewalk. "Heh um thanks for saving me."

His penetrating glare was starting to get to her, she felt like he was looking past her and into the depths of her soul, judging her if she was worth saving. She had to turn away the mysterious angel, it was like looking at the face of perfection, no mortal should ever see.

"You are welcomed." Sesshoumaru said, as he sensed her uneasiness. She seemed shock at his response as her headshot back up to look at him and he could not help but smile. She was his Kagome, how he missed her strange ways.

'He's smiling, why?' Kagome noticed that his teeth was perfect and white but for a second she swore something more, 'did I see a fang?' She tossed the idea out of her head and out of habit she smiled back. She spent too much time in the Sengoku Jidai. She was grateful that she was saved, but it was not everyday you would run into someone that handsome.

"Ano I got to go home… Thanks again for saving my life. If there's something I could do…"

"There is no need for that." He fought with himself, he wanted to tell her, but he had to bite his tongue almost to the point of making it bleed, to silence himself before he could respond. 'Kagome…' He moved away from her letting her pass him but the moment that she took a step, she nearly fell back down before he caught her again.

"Huh? My ankle hurts." Kagome noted, as the man held her, "How did that happen?"

"You must twisted it when those guys knocked you down."

"Great. Just great, I don't need this now. Inuyasha is going to kill me!"

"Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked, wondering how she would react to his question, while knowing why she was worried.

"Inuyasha? Heh hehe… Ah um, he is friend of mine. We had plans now it looks like I can't do them."

"Here let me help you." Sesshoumaru helped Kagome back into the café and sat her down across from him, her little troublesome bag was placed on the table forgotten. He took her ankle despite her objections and placed it in his lap. He looked up at her and a blush was deepening on her exquisite face. He just had to smirk at her, it was funny, she was his mate; he had seen her naked and they had often bathed together, but she was blushing over the fact that he was holding her foot in his lap. But he had almost forgot that to her their future has not happened yet.

"You know how to tend to broken ankles?" Kagome asked, hoping that he would be distracted by the question and she would not be so embarrassed.

"Yes I do. My father had me learn the art of first aid." He said as he pulled her shoe of her foot. Without looking, he knew that the blush was back and she nervous. He studied the foot, her ankle was not broken, not even sprained, and she just would have to stay off it for a few hours. He began to massage her foot fully aware that she liked it.

Kagome watched the man across from her as he tended to her ankle, so many questions ran through her head, he seemed familiar but she could not place where, and it surprised her that he knew what he was doing. For a moment she thought that he was just one of those rich lechers that targeted schoolgirls with a foot fetish- hence the blush.

'I have been around Miroku too much. Now every guy I met I keep thinking that they are going to start grope me. Or kill me… But this guy doesn't seem that bad. He did save from becoming headless.' When he started to message her feet the blush came back but it wasn't as strong as before, but the foot fetish came back into her thoughts.

"What's your name?" She blurted out. She was threw her hand to her mouth, she was angry with herself, she did not want to come off rude to him, she already thought he thought of her as an idiot for not being able to see the car.

Sesshoumaru stopped his menstruation to look at the schoolgirl across the table; the blush never seemed to leave her face now. "My name, its Hawakaya Eizan. Care to tell me yours?"

"I'm Higurashi Kagome. I'm pleased to meet you Hayakawa-san."

"Please call me Eizan, no formalities needed between us."

"Alright Eizan." Sesshoumaru just smiled at her, it had been awhile sense he felt this happy, and by a simple word. "So how's my ankle?"

Her ankle! He almost forgot that it was still in his lap. Just being around her made him distracted and he forgot that he was tended her sore foot. He handed her shoe and released her foot. "Its fine, you just would have to stay off it for awhile and it will bruise, but you should be fine."

Kagome placed her shoe back onto her foot and smoothed out her dress, she had the embarrassing thought that he could look up her dress. It was an uncomfortable silence between them. She had questions for him but she could not seem to phrase them the way she wanted to. But he broke that silence for her.

"Is there something I can get you? It's only polite that I ask as you are with me in this café."

Kagome was a bit hungry but she was not going to take advantage of his generosity, but as she thought to respond she saw out of the corner of her eye she watched a waitress bring a hot fudge brownie to a customer nearby, and it made her mouth water. He seemed to have noticed her starved look as he waved the waitress over.

"I would like two of your hot fudge brownies, with lots of sprinkles." The waitress gave him a smile and walked off to fill his order.

'Sprinkles? How does he know?'

They waited a few minutes before they received their desserts, Kagome resisted the urge to inhale the brownie, but she noticed that her eating companion had the greatest table manners that she had ever seen, it quenched the idea of devouring her food like a rabid animal. She too ate her food with all the table manners that her mother had ever taught her. She felt the need to impress Eizan though she did not know who he was.

Sesshoumaru watched Kagome eat when he was finished. Had to resist the urge to lick her face every time a crumb would stick to her lips, but every time he was saved as she wiped her mouth with the napkin, but that just made him want to ravish her lips with his. This was torture he decided. After all the time he waited, had to break his own rules and he was fighting with himself from just taking her away and ravishing her.

"Eizan-san. Hello? Are you there?" Sesshoumaru came back from his growing needs as he noticed her small hand being waved in his face.

"Hai?"

"I was just trying to thank you for the food."

"You are welco-"

"Oh man the time! I got to go home!" She leaped out of the chair only to crash back onto the chair. "Itaiii!" She grabbed her ankle and massaged it. "I forgot my ankle was hurt!"

Sesshoumaru stood up, pulled his wallet out, placed a large bill not caring for change, and promptly discarded the bill on the table. He picked up Kagome's little plastic bag and his belongings before bending over and lifting her out of the chair, carrying her bridal style. He was sure to keep her modesty as his hand underneath her kept her dress from moving.

"Ah Hentai! Put me down!" Kagome all but shrieked, scaring the other customers in the café and hurting Sesshoumaru's delicate hearing.

"I am no hentai. You cannot walk on that ankle of yours. I am being considerate of your situation. You wish to go home but with you hurt there is no possible way for you to walk anywhere.

"Oh. Sorry about that heh. So how I am going to go home?"

"I will drive of course."

"No no, you don't have to go out of your way for me. My mama can pick me up."

"I assure that it's not a problem, I was leaving this place soon enough."

"Okay, I just hope that it's on your way, you did enough for me anyway."

Sesshoumaru did not respond and left all the watchers in the café and walked slowly to his car, careful not to hurt Kagome. The car was a convertible and the hood was down. He liked having the wind in his face till this day, despite living in the city with its air and noise pollution. He threw all the items in the back, not caring for the mess. He lowered Kagome into the front seat, mindful not to hit her ankle on the car door.

"Nice car." Kagome said, as it was the only thought that came into her head. She was still unsure about being driven home. She did not know him and she did not want to be an inconvenient to him, although he said she was not.

"It suits my needs. But I really have no need for it, as I am usually driven around." Sesshoumaru answered as he opened his car door and sat behind the wheel.

"But, then why you have one?"

"Are you always this inquisitive?" He asked knowing that she was the one for talking and making small talk. He turned and gave her a quick smile, as he began to pull away from the curb.

"No, yes, I mean I'm just making small talk."

"No I believe that you are doubting my driving ability. As no one makes small talk out from comfort."

Kagome blushed deeply as she analyzed his observation; she could not help but agree with his assertion. But she chose to change the subject. "Do you even no where you are going?"

"You have yet to tell me where you live."

Kagome blushed again and looked away, she could not seem to keep it together. "Um I live at the Tokyo shrine of the Shikon no Tama."

"Oh I know of it. I visit there often." The turned the car around the car now heading towards the shrine. The wind blew wildly and their hair fought for freedom in their restraints.

"I never seen you there." A blush grew on her cheeks; "I would have remembered you."

"You think that I am that hideous? Or that stunning?" He loved teasing her; it was an addiction. He loved watching her blush and squirm. He gave her a little smirk and from the corner of his eye, he saw the same blush back on her face.

For the first time, since he had saved her life there was a comfortable silence between them. She was enjoying the feel of the wind on her face and the attention she received from the people on the street, who were obviously jealous of her situation. He could not tell if they were jealous of the car or him. He like to think it was he, Sesshoumaru not the car, when it came to women, but he noticed some looks that males gave him too. He just had that effect on people. But what so nice about the car ride was that she was sitting besides him. After all, his planning and waiting, one little unexpected turn of events, he had her in his car, and she did not know it was him. It made him wonder if all the secrecy and the intensive planning was still worth it. He wanted to throw it all away and just take her now and tell her everything but he was holding himself back. Something was telling him that it was too early and he should remain cautious as he could unwittingly destroy everything that he worked so hard to keep.

The shrine was coming up, but Kagome was not paying attention. She was enjoying herself too much. Her day was good despite her barely becoming decapitated and her sore ankle. An angel saved her and it was the only thing she could use to describe him. Tall, beautiful with a feminine face but his body was a masculine masterpiece. She would have to be blind not to notice the way his clothes were stretched tightly around him. Although everything about him was perfect, her favorite thing about him was his eyes and hair. His eyes were a shimmering cinnamon brown but they seemed to glow golden in the sunlight. And his hair held a silken luster and his hair was almost as long as he was, and he had a black hair tie near the bottom of his hair. It was a simple tie to keep the great mass of hair contained.

"We're here."

Kagome broke out of her thoughts as she looked at the steps that lead up to her shrine house. The man- Eizan had parked right in front of the stairs that was held for her family. She did not move as Eizan stepped out of his car and came around in the front. He seemed to radiate in the sun, and when he smiled at her, her breath was caught in her throat. 'Nobody can be that good looking.' She thought as he stood next to her car door.

"Your bag is in the back." He picked up the bag and gave it to her.

She smiled in thanks, but she could not contain the shriek when he picked her up without warning. She saw him grimace in pain. She must have been louder then she thought, as she yelled right into his ear. "Sorry about that but you never gave me a warning."

"Its alright, I just have sensitive hearing."

She had a good glance and she noticed that his ear was more pointy then most people. 'Heh, I guess he has some youkai blood or something.' But at that thought, she giggled silently to herself. Youkai were rare in this era, and it would have to be a coincidence that she keeps running into them.

"What's so funny?" He asked as he held her bridal style again as carried her up the stairs to her house.

"It's nothing. Just having some crazy thoughts."

"Oh like what?" He asked, he was sincerely curious. Kagome was an interesting person and he always loved hearing what was on her mind.

"I was just thinking that you must have some youkai blood in you."

"What?" Sesshoumaru asked, as he grew worried. Could it be that she found a way to sense his youki? Or did his concealing slip with him not noticing?

"I'm just joking. I was just thinking about youkai. I really can't help it, my grandpa has told me so many legends and stories."

A thousand weights proverbial were lifted off his shoulders, as she explained. He had never been so happy that she was not over critical in her observations. But then again, she was always surprising; if the time called for it she was quite the observant person that could always add two and two together. Like the time he first met her and she saved Inuyasha from the mononoke from absorbing his soul.

"You are quite odd." He smiled brightly at her. Smiling was contagious around her; you just could not help it.

"You are not the first to tell me so." She smiled back happily.

He reached the top of the stairs into the familiar yard that belonged to the shrine. He had not lied to her when he said that he visited the shrine often. He had come yearly till Kagome was fourteen, then he took to his watching and such from a distance. It was the first time he had set foot in the yard in a few years since she began her time-traveling journey. He set her on her feet in near of the front door. He looked over his shoulder to look around and used his senses to see if anyone was nearby. Kagome's family was not here and Inuyasha had not come into the shrine area recently. His stench was weeks old. He heard a click and found that Kagome was hobbling into her house, careful not to hurt it again. He grabbed her and let her lean onto him for strength.

"Thanks again. I am starting to think that you are some kind of super hero or something."

"I just might be." He countered as he helped her onto a chair. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No, I'm fine."

"How about I make some tea. It would help with the ankle."

"You don't have to."

"I want to."

"I don't want to be hassle."

"Trust me you are not."

Kagome sat in a couch with her arms crossed across her chest. She was adamant in her need, she did not want to press herself on him anymore, and he had done more than enough. She could sit there the whole day and fight this out, and she knew that he could see this.

"Fine, I just want to make sure that you are ok."

"I'm fine now thanks. I just don't want to bother you anymore. You had done more enough for me."

Sesshoumaru watch her as she stubbornly refused any more help. It was one of the things he loved about her. She was willing to help anyone, but when it came to her, she refused any more need then she thought she needed. "Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure. I don't want to take any more of your time."

"Okay well then, I guess I will leave you here." He pulled out a card and pen from inside his jacket. He wrote on the back of the card before handing the card to her, while placing the pen back into its place. "This is my business card, with my number, fax, and email. My personal cell phone number is on the back. Don't hesitate in calling me if you need anything." Kagome was going to interrupt but he kept going, "I promise that you are not a hassle. I just like knowing that you are okay. Promise me if there is anything I can do, you will call me."

"Um sure. I promise, Eizan-san." Sesshoumaru smiled, and took his leave, as he was exiting the house, when she called back and he looked over to her. She was kneeling in the couch with her head and hands above the spine of the chair. She looked dwarfed by the overstuffed seat. "Thanks for everything. Especially the hot fudge brownie, it's one of my favorites."

Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding, walked out of the house, and shut the door behind him.

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Two men with cameras watched as their prey pull away from the shop with the girl in the car. They drove off going a different direction, as they had work to do.

"Man I can't believe our luck. Hayakawa, with a girl, that is one in a million."

"I know! Remind me to give our leak some extra money for this one."

"Oh yeah, how much is the magazines willing to pay for this? I got some shots of him smiling! No one has ever seen him smile."

"Don't know, but its going to be worth something. The tabloids are going to have a field day with this."

"Come by tomorrow everyone is going to see Hayakawa in different light."

"Heh, different alright. There were rumors that he was gay, since he was ever seen with a woman. I know two or three people who are going to be disappointed. But they got the other brother and the red head heh. A family of fags."

"Nah, it's going to be all the girls. I can see it now. Them chasing the girl down from jealously."

"Oh yeah that reminds me. We got to look her up, find any dirt on her. If she was on a date with the most eligible bachelor there must be something about her to make her special."

"This is going to be fun." The driver said as they pulled into the local tabloid that loved to make the Hayakawa family the center of gossip.

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Word count – 19,707 words

Teaser:

"Is this your idea of courtship Inuyasha? Your woman seems to hold you by a leash as some common animal." Sesshoumaru sneered.

Inuyasha just growled from his second impact.

"Just get to the point Sesshoumaru. I won't stop him a third time." Kagome interrupted. "And besides, you are the animal not him."

"Watch your tongue _human_."


	4. Past, present or future?

Disclaimer: See first chapter. Also the 'ass of u and me' thing was something I read in Silence of the Lambs and I do not claim any ownership of the phrase. I just wanted a chance to use it. I made absolutely nothing from using it.

A/N: The one called Omoishoji is mine! He's all mine! I created him. No touch. Also I did my best with no beta…. So be nice.

Need to know- Tanto is a small blade or dagger.

**As Time Will Tell**

Chapter Four: Past, present or future?

Kagome sat on the couch; she couldn't keep her eyes of the door since the stranger had left. She could not but help to think that she knew his face from somewhere. The events of the day kept being replayed in her head. She could not figure him out. There was just something about him. She could swear that he was flirting with her but he was years older than her. Not like she cared, her honest opinion was that he was incredibly handsome, and she would not mind seeing him again. As she sat there contemplating Eizan the strange hero of the day, she fell asleep on the couch, with her bruised ankle resting on the armrest.

Mrs. Higurashi and Souta entered their house carrying groceries they found Kagome asleep on the couch with one leg hanging over the edge. Souta thought it was funny and he did not hesitate to laugh at his sister. Mrs. Higurashi just smiled and dragged Souta into the kitchen leaving Kagome alone.

"Souta, were going to let her sleep till dinner is ready. It looks like she had a busy day. And if you are going to play video games, keep the volume down." Mrs. Higurashi said as she pulled the groceries out their bags.

"Hai, mama." And Souta ran back into the living room, careful not to wake his sister up and began killing aliens on the TV.

Hours later, Kagome woke to the mouth watering scent of dinner and the fuzz of the glowing TV, she rose from the couch, her dress was wrinkled and hair was coming undone from her bun. She remembered her hurt ankle and she dared to see if it could handle her weight. She stood carefully on it and she was surprised to find that her ankle did not hurt that much. She jumped up and down on her ankle and it did not hurt. Mrs. Higurashi walked into the living room when she heard a loud noise and she found that Kagome was awake and was jumping up and down.

"Kagome what are you doing?"

Kagome blushed from the look on her mother's face. She looked at her if she grew horns out of her head. "I'm just seeing if my ankle hurts mama. I was knocked down by some guys when I was shopping with my friends." Mrs. Higurashi smiled as at her daughter, and turned back to the kitchen, and Kagome followed her in.

"So what did you do today?" Kagome's mother asked as she finished up the last of the dinner preparations.

"Yuki wanted to buy some stuff, and she dragged Ayumi, Eri and me with her. We went to a few stores, before I wanted to go home, I had fun but you know I got to meet Inuyasha. I was walking home and some guys knocked me down. They didn't offer to help me up or anything. But this is where my day got interesting. Mama do you believe in guardian angels? Well I was saved by one." Kagome giggled a bit before she calmed down. "When I was knocked to the ground my bag landed in the middle of the road so when I reached out to get it, a car came barreling around the corner and it almost took my head off."

"Oh dear!"

"But the next thing I know, I am in the arms of this guy. It was like on of those action heroes in the movies I swear. He even looked like one. He was tall and I barely reached his chest. His hair was long and blond and had the most amazing amber eyes. He was like an angel I swear. After the shock wore off, he was so nice to me and he checked my ankle. I asked him and he said that he knew first aid, and he bought me a hot fudge brownie."

"It sounds like that your day was full of surprises." Mrs. Higurashi said as she handed Kagome a glass of water. "Well hopefully Kagome, if you are ever in the need of angel I hope yours comes to save you again."

"Me too." Kagome whispered. She didn't know why she looked forward to being in peril if it meant being in his arms again, but she found that she liked it.

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Kagome climbed out the well, struggling with the weight of the hefty yellow pack that weighed her down. As she climbed over the rim of the well, she sat on the ground while resting for a few minutes as she breathed heavily from the workout. No matter how many times she did that, her pack back just seemed to get heavier and heavier with every trip.

"Oi wench, hurry up, now that you are here we got hunt down more shards."

Kagome looked up at the familiar voice and smiled as Inuyasha gave his normal greeting. "Yeah Inuyasha I'm coming. Don't wait up for me." She stood up and brushed the imaginary dust from her skirt and lugged her pack on her shoulders and followed Inuyasha down the familiar trampled path through the woods to the small village that they called home. She loved taking in the scenery; it always made her feel special, that she was the only privy enough to see Japan as it once was. She knew that her history professor would give his left arm to see all this. And that brought an illicit grin to her face and giggled. Sesshoumaru could use his arm. Oh well, nothing to do about it.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Sesshoumaru." Her eyes widen and she brought her hand to cover her mouth. She couldn't understand she was so stupid and said that.

Inuyasha stopped and spun on the girl before she knew what was happening. "Why are you thinking of him?" Inuyasha snarled in an angry jealous rage.

Kagome yelped in surprised and backed away in a natural cause for self-preservation, "Heh…. I was laughing about his arm… Its nothing to get upset over Inuyasha!"

"I don't care, I don't want you to ever be happy and smile when talking about him. You like him don't you?" Inuyasha yelled as he stepped closer with jealous clouding his thoughts.

"What!" Kagome shouted, her fear forgotten in favor of her rage. "How can you say that? I don't even know him so how can I like him? You are such a jerk Inuyasha! Osuwari!"

As Inuyasha plummeted to the ground, Kagome heartlessly stomped over the subdued hanyou as she made her way through the dirt path.

'Irritating stupid little….' Kagome screeched inside her head, trying so hard think of harsher words to call the hanyou, but her anger quickly as she broke through the forest and saw the hut that belong to the miko Keade and her friends.

Kagome picked up her sped and fogged through the Edo village and found the hut that she spotted from the tree line. "Keade! Sango? Shippou! I'm back!"

Before she could reach the hut a orange-haired blur came dashing out of the hut and wrapped itself around Kagome's legs.

From the ground Shippou looked up at the girl that he admired, he greeted her with a big grin on his face, "Welcome back Kagome!"

Kagome bent over and picked out the kitsune and held him to her chest. "Shippou! Have you been good? You better have not been mean to Inuyasha, you know he can't take it." Kagome joked.

"Oh no, I was good. I'm not stupid like the baka." Shippou who prepared him to be hit any moment, but when nothing happened, he noticed that his bully was nowhere to be found. "Hey where is the dumb dog anyway?"

"You mean Inuyasha? I had to sit him on the way here. He got angry at me over a stupid thing."

"Heh, Inuyasha always deserves to be sat. He is not smart enough to know when to stop-" before Shippou could finish his sentence, and righteous fist slammed on top of his skull. "Ow!" Kagome and Shippou turned and found Inuyasha with a victorious grin on his face, and smug look as he put the little cub in his place. "What was that for dog boy?"

"You were asking me to hit you."

"No I was saying how you were stupid- ow! Stop hitting me!" Shippou cried as he held his abused head in his hands.

"See there you were practically begging for it. If I were you I would be quiet."

"If I were you I would drop dead!" Before Inuyasha could hit him again, Shippou lunged out of Kagome's grasp and landed on the silver head of the hanyou. Shippou latched himself onto one of Inuyasha's ears and bit with all the strength he could muster.

"Oi you little bastard! Get off of me!"

"Make me!" Shippou muttered out from behind his closed teeth.

"Inuyasha! Shippou! Stop!" Kagome hollered and she tried to get between Inuyasha and Shippou but, the kitsune wouldn't budge and Inuyasha was adamantly trying to remove the little guy from his head.

"I'll kill you if don't stop you little piece of shit!" Inuyasha howled. He felt Shippou's fangs leave his ear and he tried grabbing the cub before he could jump off but the kid just jumped back in the safety of Kagome's arms. "You're dead!" he yelled again and Inuyasha tried to yank him out of Kagome's arms and give him a good throttle but one little word stopped everything.

"Osuwari."

"Damn it." And Inuyasha met intimately face first with the well-known ground.

"Nice timing Kagome!" Shippou cheered as the mutt tried to fight against his necklace. But Kagome wasn't happy with either one of them.

"Shippou I told you not to do that. You honestly need to stop as I won't keep protecting you forever from him."

"But Kagome!" Shippou looked up at the girl and gave her his most puppy-eyed look he could gather. "You don't mean that!" he cried, visibly hurt from her words.

"Shippou you are a growing boy, soon you will need to take care of yourself and if that means fighting your own fights against Inuyasha… But for now stop starting these fights."

"Alright…" Shippou whined but he forgave her when he remembered what brought him out side in the first place. "Kagome what did you bring me?"

Kagome looked down at the expected boy and shook her head. "I won't give you it today. You need to learn Shippou, if you are bad you won't get your snacks."

"Ahhh Kagome, you don't need to be mean." Shippou pouted and crossed his arms against his chest and whined. Kagome just laughed it off and went into the hut with the dishearten cub and the left Inuyasha in the dust.

Keade and Sango were sitting around the fire and the pot and Miroku was against the wall writing new ofudas.

"Good afternoon everyone!" Kagome cheered as she set the kitsune and her bag on the floor and sat besides the taijiya.

"Good afternoon child." Keade muttered without looking from her stirring.

"Good afternoon Kagome-sama." Miroku greeted warmly as he placed his newly written spells within his robe.

"Good afternoon Kagome. Though it wasn't much of a welcome as it?" Sango said and laugh escaped her lips.

"If you knew what was going on outside, why didn't you come out there and help me?"

"Oh don't whine Kagome! Out of all the people you are the only one that can handle that hanyou and the kitsune cub!" Sango laughed again and added some greens to the pot she and Keade where tending to.

Forgetting her trouble, Kagome looked into the pot and gave witness to what was the most disgusting soup mixture she seen in her short life. It was a most unnatural shade of purple and green with lumps that nothing more than mud. She gagged and scooted far from the concoction. "What on Earth is that?"

Keade completely unabashed about her mixture, she answered without ever taking her good eye of her work. "It's a mixture meant to be used for healing. A miko ye traveled here recently had shared her knowledge with aye. It may look bad but trust me child, it does do what it is intended to do."

"Okay, I guess I can take your word for that." A soft jingle came from behind and Kagome turned and saw Miroku come over and sit next to her. "How are you doing Miroku-sama?"

"I am doing what is expected of me Kagome-sama." Miroku gave her a grin and his eyes twinkled in amusement. "Are you set and ready for our new venture of shard hunting?"

"I am already to go, but what you Sango?"

"I am finished here Kagome-chan. Keade just needed some help and I volunteered to help."

"Thank ye child for helping this old woman with the mixture. It should quite helpful with the recent attack."

"No problem Keade, I'm happy to have helped you." Sango and the others climbed up from the ground and collected their things.

As Kagome bent over to grab her bag, her skirt giving view of her cotton underwear, she didn't sense her current state of vulnerability. As she stood up she felt a hand rub against her butt. Blushing, she saw Sango in front of her and she peaked over her shoulder and found the monk grinning happily behind her. Holding in the blush and hiding her anger she turned and she faced Miroku. Smiled sweetly at him as her hand that was held beside her waist twitched. "Miroku-sama, did I have some dust on my skirt again?"

Taken back from her usual scream and punishment Miroku carefully smiled, "Yes Kagome-sama, I felt that I had to get rid of such of an unsightly mark on your kimono." Sango eyes narrowed and she reached for her large bone boomerang, the monk would surely be hit hard, very _hard_ for his newest offense.

"Then don't do it again you hentai!" Kagome wailed as she slapped the perverted houshi, only for seconds later for the huge boomerang to slam into his head.

"That stupid houshi never learns." Sango exclaimed as she replaced Hiraikotsu back onto her back. Shippou laughed and jumped on Kagome's shoulder as they stepped over the prone body of the monk and they made their way out of the hut. Inuyasha was sitting against the wall of the hut, and he wore a wide grin at the monk's punishment. It made him happy to know that he wasn't the only one that got knocked around in their group, the monk at least deserved it for being a letch but he was sure that he never warranted the hell Kagome put him through by all those sittings.

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"Honestly Inuyasha, in the future Japan isn't ruled by a dictator, we have a president that is voted into office by the people and he only rules for a certain number of terms."

"Feh, I don't believe that, even you humans need a strong leader to tell you what to do."

"Oh whatever. I just want you to know- I sense a jewel shard!" Kagome stopped peddling on her bike and kicked the kick bar in place holding the bike up. She was in her usual stance her head bowed, concentrating on the shard. Everyone else tensed up, waiting for his or her instruction. Before Inuyasha could interrupt Kagome looked up, "I can barely sense it but it's in the direction of over there." She pointed to a dense forest to their left. Kagome found a bush and hid her bike as Inuyasha impatiently waited for her to get on his back. Kirara had already transformed and Sango and Miroku were onto with Shippou sitting on the monk's shoulder.

Kagome climbed onto Inuyasha's back and they immediately went off in the direction of the shard. Inuyasha effortlessly jumped from tree to tree almost as if he was flying over the treetops, with Kirara simply holding up.

"It's moving!"

"What way Kagome?"

"Straight, but its moving away from us."

"Damn it!" Inuyasha cursed, but he kept chasing after it.

Kirara pulled up next to Inuyasha and Kagome, Miroku waved his stick, wanting their attention. "Perhaps we should split up and corner it? Since it seems it is aware that we are coming."

"Alright, just don't take your time." Sango just waved Inuyasha off as she and her group left Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Hey Inuyasha we are almost there."

"Yeah I can smell it." He covered his nose, from the putrid smell whatever it was, it liked to dirt and slime.

Inuyasha ran farther with Kagome on his back. They found a clearing in the thinning woods. There was green slime a yard wide and it in one direction and it headed away from the woods.

"Inuyasha, the shard is moving but its closer than ever and its moving really slow." Inuyasha gave no inclination that he heard her and only ran following the slime trail. "What do you think did this?"

"It's a slug."

"Slug? There is slug youkai?"

"Yeah, but they are not supposed to be big. They usually are just small mindless weak youkai. The slug most have the jewel shard if its slime trail is this big."

As Inuyasha got closer and closer to the slug demon, Kagome could feel the presence of the shard getting closer. Inuyasha was right the slug demon had the shard. With one last jump Inuyasha landed in another clearing, the slug demon was making its own trail through the dissipating woods. The slug was huge, twenty feet long and at least five feet high. It was covered with slime and Inuyasha nearly wanted to throw up at the stench. He could barely hold it together as the horrible smell overpowered his own senses.

Kagome pulled out her bow and arrow from her back and looked for the shard. It was embedding in its stomach, or what was considered its stomach. Kagome realized the slug must have simply crawled over inserting it in its body without knowing what it was. Before Kagome could think more, a voice rang over the air.

"Inuyasha! Here, use it!" Inuyasha and Kagome looked up to find Sango, Miroku and Shippou on the back of Kirara. Sango threw down her exterminator's mask and Inuyasha caught it and he slid the mask on he immediately felt better, though the mask didn't block out everything, but now he could fight and move without throwing up or fainting.

Inuyasha howled his thanks as he pulled his Tetsusaiga, finally able to fight.

"No problem!" She yelled back as Kirara descended onto the forest floor. Miroku had already jumped off and he held his staff in his familiar combat stance, ready to fight and protect Shippou and Sango.

"Kagome where is it?" Inuyasha's muffled voice interrupted her, as she was pulled from her thoughts.

"It's underneath its body, on its stomach-tail thing!"

Inuyasha transformed the fang with ease and leapt up into the air and was going to strike but the slug saw it with its antennae and spewed acid back at Inuyasha. He couldn't dodge and the acid hit his chest and he was knocked back. Inuyasha got his bearings and inspected his chest. The fire rat haori was slowly being eaten away, but it didn't matter slug acid wasn't that strong. As Inuyasha was prepared to attack again, Hiraikotsu struck the slug demon in the middle splitting it in half. On instinct Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and jumped away as the insides of the slug soared everywhere.

As the seemingly endless showers of putrid acid blood, and the last bubbling of the slime that covered the very dead slug youkai, Inuyasha with Kagome in his arms came back into the clearing. Sango was already inspecting the corpse while careful to avoid the drying slime and acid. Kagome hopped out of Inuyasha's and ran up to the corpse.

"Kagome-sama, be careful." Miroku said as he walked up from the back of the "fight" with Shippou and Kirara giving chase after the kitsune cub. "You do not want to step in the pools of acid."

"That was easy. I could have killed it." Shippou boasted as he jumped up and sat on Miroku's shoulder.

"Even so, slug acid can still burn." Sango informed knowingly. "You okay Inuyasha? Is the fumes still strong?"

Inuyasha nodded with the mask covering the lower half of his face. "Have you fought these things before Sango?" he wondered as he readjusted the mask. Even with the slug youkai dead, the strong waves of acid and slime still made his nose burn and light-headed.

"Yeah, but I never seen one this big before. We were called to exterminate some youkai that destroyed some farmer's crops. It was a school of slugs, which devastated the village's fields. I remembered because Kirara had bitten one and it made her sick. The only defense they have is their horrible smell. When we learned this was a slug, I knew that you would have a hard time breathing." Sango concluded.

"Kagome where's the shard?" Kagome took another step forward, trying to find the glowing shard in the mess that was once the slug. She found it in a chunk of flesh that floated in a puddle of acid and blood.

"Eww." No explanation as needed as her face contorted into one of disgust, she pointed to the shard she found. Inuyasha picked up hunk of flesh and plucked out the shard. It glowed under the sun even with it covered with gore. He handed it to Kagome who added it to the collection that hung around her neck. She looked around and pieces of slug seemed to be everywhere. "So what do we do with the slug now?"

Sango shrugged as she pulled out a towel to clean her Hiraikotsu clean of dirt and slime that clung to it. "One good thing about slugs is that their own acid eats away at the bodies. We don't have to do anything. It will go away by itself in a few days."

Inuyasha looked up and noticed it would get dark soon; he turned back to his group and told them that they should get back.

"My bike! I left it in the bushes!" Kagome yelled as she remembered her bike. She started to run back, but Inuyasha jumped in front of her and turned his back to her.

"Get on, or we won't get back before it gets dark." She didn't need anymore incentive as she hopped on his back and Inuyasha took off back to where Kagome had abandoned her bike. He still wore the mask on his face, but with it tied around his head, it kept his long hair from moving, and Kagome learned that it was actually nice to be carried on his back, but she never realized it before. All the other times she was too concerned with the chase then to care about his hair thrashing wildly and whipping her face.

Inuyasha arrived back to the part of the road that they left, and Kagome jumped off to check on her bike. It was still in one piece. "Thank goodness!" she exclaimed, relief washed upon her shoulders.

"Its okay Kagome, no one was here." Inuyasha added, his voice no longer muffled as he pulled off the mask. But he didn't say anything about his nose burning and that his sense of smell might be what it would be for the next few hours. What could happen?

Sango and the others came into view seconds later, Inuyasha threw the mask back at her, and she smiled at the hanyou as she placed it back in her bag as her fire cat landed on the ground.

"Is it safe to assume Inuyasha that were are going to rest here for the night?" Miroku asked as his staff jingled softly as he walked.

"Yeah, I guess, its getting dark and plus I noticed earlier that there is small lake nearby."

With everyone there, they started their usual preparations for the night.

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They sat around the campfire taking in all the warmth the fire gave off. They celebrated their newest success of their newly acquired jewel shard. They laughed and they talked not thinking of the next part of their adventure. They knew that the jewel shards were dwindling in the wild, only a few remained. Kagome sat around the campfire with Shippou sitting comfortably on her shoulder, he was nibbling on a snack that Kagome newly introduced to him called a smore. It was hot but it was delicious as was evident to the mess on his face. Chocolate and marshmallows were smeared all around his small mouth. Kagome and the others laughed at the kitsune. Miroku sat across from the young miko and close to the taijiya but not as close as he wanted. Kirara in her small form sat between him and Sango. He didn't know if was the neko's protective nature or that Sango was using the neko to keeping him away.

He looked at the taijiya and gave her a small grin, and she blushed, turning away from him. Kagome saw the interaction and laughed at the two of them, which only resulted in the demon exterminator's blush to darken, and the houshi smile to enlarge. The hanyou sat forgotten in his perch of the tree branch that hung over the camp. He never participated in the banter; he liked his quiet reflection as he watched over them. He couldn't help it, he felt uneasy at night, and he always had. Now that he had friends to protect and he preferred to be aware of their surroundings and let them joke and play as he watched from his tree branch.

Inuyasha saw the houshi tease the taijiya and heard Kagome's gentle giggle. These are the times he treasured. His friends were happy and perfectly fine. He would never admit it but he loved his 'pack' like a family. They were important to him, but like he said he would never tell them that. If they didn't see it for themselves then he wouldn't have to bring himself to explain it.

His ears twitched, not for the great amount of noise but for the lack of it. His friends haven't noticed yet but it was too quiet even for nighttime. He hopped down softly behind Kagome, he had his hand firmly holding Tetsusaiga, and he sniffed the air. He cursed under his breath, with his sense of smell being handicapped, he can't tell if anyone was near by.

"Inuyasha? What's wrong?" Kagome asked as she stood up not liking what she sensed. She lowered Shippou and grabbed her bow and arrows. Kagome could sense a strong demonic aura. It felt familiar but it didn't seem threatening, but she was still careful. Inuyasha wasn't tense for no reason.

"Is it Naraku?" Miroku wondered, as he stood ready next to Sango who was peeling off her outer kimono in favor of her taijiya uniform.

"I don't think so. This aura is not projecting any kind of threat." Kagome answered Miroku nodded in agreement, but anything could happen and they didn't want to take the chance. They have been tricked before.

Inuyasha stepped out from behind Kagome and walked to the edge of the light the fire gave off. He smelled the air again, and this time he knew the scent and it was very close. He growled and pulled his newly transformed great fang from its scabbard.

From the faint light of the camp fire, the humans could barely see in the dark but the light fabric and soft black shoes could be seen as the person walked closer, the person's face still not visible.

Inuyasha growled again and leaped high into the night sky with Tetsusaiga held above his head. He brought it down hard upon the stranger and the others could hear a sharp clang. The person stopped Inuyasha's attack. Kagome and the others heard his loud curse as they heard more of clashing swords. She raised her arrows, despite not being able to see the battle. A sharp wind blew past her and she turned to see Inuyasha collided with the tree that he was in earlier. She rushed to his side; her bow lay forgotten on the ground.

"Inuyasha! Are you okay?"

"How pathetic that you need assistance from a _human_."

A cold chill ran down Kagome's spine as she recognized the owner of the voice. She stood and turned to see Sesshoumaru standing in the edge of the light. The shadows played shadow effects across his delicate face. His normally angelic face looked sinister in the dark. He wore the same little arrogant smirk he wore whenever he bested Inuyasha in their squabbles.

Her attention was turned back as Inuyasha growled again and stood up as recovered from he blow. "Sesshoumaru you bastard what you are doing here?"

Kagome watched as her friends moved into their battle stances. A cold sweat drop slid down her brow. She could sense no evil or harmful intention from Sesshoumaru but it didn't mean that he would not try anything.

"I am here of my own wishes hanyou."

Inuyasha swung the Tetsusaiga in front of him and clasped it with both hands. He snarled at his elder half-brother as he rushed towards him again. Again Sesshoumaru countered Inuyasha's brash attack but it could be seen clearly by all at the camp. Kagome grabbed her discarded bow and ran to her friends. Sango held Hiraikotsu behind her back waiting for an opening between youkai and hanyou. Miroku held his staff tightly to the point of his knuckles turning white. Kirara stood transformed with Shippou sitting protected on her back.

"Guys, don't attack Inuyasha needs it, Sesshoumaru is acting weird." Miroku and Sango gave Kagome a questioning look but the held their weapons ready at a chance to help Inuyasha, if he needed it.

Sesshoumaru jumped back into the haven of darkness. And watched the humans from their camp, they seemed unsure and they wanted to help but the miko held them back. He heard her whisper to the others and came out from the protection of the flames. His intentions were once again hampered from the hanyou, but he didn't expect anything less from his irritating half-brother.

Inuyasha again charged Sesshoumaru, with Tetsusaiga swinging wildly. But Sesshoumaru countered with Tokijin and he dropped to the ground holding Tokijin in front and knocked the hanyou off his feet with a circular kick and knocked him on his back. Inuyasha flipped over back onto his feet with Tetsusaiga at his side.

"Asshole!" He growled deeply and he charged again. He threw any thought of tactic to the wind, not caring if his brave attempt worked or not. Sesshoumaru watched as the hanyou charged openly leaving many opportunities for a kill that is if he was going for such a move. Instead he stood and placed Tokijin in front over his shoulder. He charged also and brought his sword swinging counter-clockwise onto the guard of the Tetsusaiga as he narrowly dodged as Inuyasha aimed for his head. The sword flew from Inuyasha grip, landed onto the ground, and transformed back into its rusty form. He kicked Inuyasha's chest and sent him flying back into the same tree he knocked him into earlier.

An arrow flew past Sesshoumaru's face, the miko-powered arrow nearly missed him, and he felt the brush of power nick his nose. He turned to see the miko she stood defiantly put she looked as if she didn't want to hurt him. He sheathed Tokijin and inspected his wound. It there was no blood, as purification would eradicate any semblance of youkai, being physical or pure aura. The wound was shallow, but it still would take some time to heal days longer than normal inflicted wound. Oh how he hated purification, even he could be killed by such a simple power. And it was evident by his wound on his nose.

"Sesshoumaru I missed on purpose, so I suggest to you to tell us as to why you are here." Kagome yelled knowing that he could very well hear her.

"It is not wise to threaten me miko." He spat out; dislike laced his words though his face gave none away. Inuyasha stood forgotten. He was sword less, and he didn't want to move until he knew that he could reach his fang.

Kagome's eyes narrowed, and she pulled another arrow from its place and set it in her bow. "Well I did, what you going to do about it?" Sesshoumaru growled and watched the two humans on either side of her close in on her protecting her from both sides. "Anyway I know you want something, and its not Tetsusaiga, so just spill it."

'Spill it? What does she mean by that?' Sesshoumaru thought as he took in his situation. He was where he didn't want to be. The hanyou was still by the tree bidding his time, and the humans were ready to attack him. He was tempted to sigh but he directed his disappointment towards the miko. "I am here for no other reason than to eradicate the hanyou nuisance."

"Fat chance asshole!" Inuyasha barked and clawed at his half-brother. Sesshoumaru simply jumped back and his materialized poison whip appeared and he struck at the hanyou.

"Inuyasha get your sword moron!" Inuyasha ignored Kagome. If Sesshoumaru wasn't going to use Tokijin then he wasn't going to use Tetsusaiga.

Kagome watched as Inuyasha missed as he swiped at his brother. Things were not going well. Kagome grew angry and threw down her bow and ran to the edge of the light of the fire, and watched as Sesshoumaru dance around Inuyasha, dodging his attacks with ease.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Everyone turned to the new voice in the dark and a human girl emerged from the darkness. She ran towards Sesshoumaru, but Inuyasha didn't take notice as the girl ran into his path.

Kagome watched the twitch in Sesshoumaru's face, as Inuyasha lunged forward not caring of the little girl in his way. "Osuwari!" Inuyasha pummeled into the ground.

"Ow wench! Why...?" He coughed up dirt as he face breathed in the earth.

"Baka! You could have killed that girl!"

'Girl?' Inuyasha thought from his little crater. He didn't see anybody besides Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! You are okay! Jaken-sama said that you were going to fight!"

Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Shippou and the fire neko, watched as the human girl that traveled with Sesshoumaru. They knew of her, both they never actually seen her. It was just wild rumor about the demon lord. She didn't seem shaken when he began to growl and forced her behind him. Inuyasha was out of his hole and he held the Tetsusaiga in his hand, but it was not transformed, it still was in its rusty form.

"Inuyasha you are truly a fool. I came here with hopes that we could forge an alliance the despicable hanyou Naraku. But from what I see, you are simply useless. I can not fathom to as why that coward fears you."

"Huh?" Inuyasha stammered. He stood wide-eyed and confused. He wasn't the only one. Miroku scratched his head, and Sango lowered her boomerang. Kirara transformed back into her small form and mewed softly as Shippou petted her absent-mindingly. Only Kagome wasn't surprised from his statement. She almost seemed happy.

"I do not repeat myself _brother_."

Inuyasha gained his bearings and narrowed his eyes in disbelief. Tetsusaiga was now held steady his hands with the great fang pointed at Sesshoumaru. "I don't care if you are here for alliance or anything else. You are not staying here." But his threat diminished as a water bottle collided with his head.

"You are stupid you know that! He came here asking for help and you are going to turn him down! You are an idiot. If he wants to kill Naraku that's his business, but at least he's not going after you!" Kagome stood next to the fire; with her fists gripped tightly her anger could be seen openly on her expression. Waves of anger and disbelief could be smelled from her already enticing scent. The wind blew softly; her uniform swaying gently along with the wind.

"What? No Kagome he just wants to use us, and then kill us for whatever sick purpose he is planning. He might even be working with that bastard!"

"Silence your woman. Inuyasha. Though she seems more intelligent than you."

"She's not my woman asshole."

Kagome stalked over with her rage taking over. She reached the hanyou, tugged on his ears, and bent him over, despite his painful whining. "Quit being stupid Inuyasha. Just let him talk. Nothing bad ever came from that." She let go of Inuyasha and he rubbed his abused ears. The pain throbbed and the sharp ring of her yells still heard in his delicate hearing. "And you!" She turned onto Sesshoumaru. His eyes narrowed, but he kept his distance. "Just because you want an alliance for whatever reason it doesn't give you any right, to demand anything from us or treat us like crap. YOU came to US."

"You do not have to remind me _human_. I didn't come to seek help. I am capable of killing the half-breed myself."

"Then why are here, if you don't need help?" Kagome's anger vanished as she became confused, and stepped back as if she was been lashed out at.

"He's just playing with us." Inuyasha growled. He lunged at Sesshoumaru again but Kagome prevented it again.

"Osuwari." she said softly. "Alright we are listening, even Inuyasha here has your undivided attention." She kicked at immobile hanyou as he lay on the ground.

"Is this your idea of courtship Inuyasha? Your woman seems to hold you by a leash as some common animal." Sesshoumaru sneered.

Inuyasha just growled from his second impact.

"Just get to the point Sesshoumaru. I won't stop him a third time." Kagome interrupted. "And besides, you are the animal not him."

"Watch your tongue _human_."

"Last time I checked you were the dog Sesshoumaru and in my book that makes _you_ the animal."

Sesshoumaru cracked his knuckles. The impertinent wench dared to insult him. If he didn't need the group as of that moment he would slaughter them all. She was brave and she seemed overconfident in her anger. But she had no control over her words she yelled in her angry rampages; she was quite foolish. But he ignored the insult. He could take his time and kill them after Naraku was dead, after all the alliance would be no longer needed. "I do not need assistance in the death of the hanyou. But he seems adamant in avoiding me. Your little pack takes the brunt of his assaults."

"So you just want to tag along and wait for him to show up?"

"... Essentially yes."

"To what purpose is the alliance if you do not need us?" Kagome and Sesshoumaru turned to see the monk walking over. He carried the staff like that of a walking stick as he came around the fire. Sango and the kitsune and neko followed behind.

"It is just formality monk." Miroku nodded his head and he clasped his chin with his hand and thought the answer over. Inuyasha was back up and he stood in front of Kagome. He didn't like the looks Sesshoumaru was giving them.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" The little girl spoke again as she looked from behind the great lord. Her hand gripped his pants as she peered at the group of people her lord distrusted.

"Rin, be quiet." Rin looked up to he face and he hadn't moved. He was still watching the group.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Another wail came from the darkness, but it wasn't Rin.

Kagome shook her head. 'This was getting unbelievable. First Rin comes and now that stupid toad.' The others watched as Jaken ran through the line of the trees, and ran towards him not noticing Inuyasha or his band of humans.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Rin ran after you again. I tried to stop her but she out ran this servant!"

Sesshoumaru simply kicked the toad and sent him flying through the darkness. But Ah-Un had caught the imp as the two-headed dragon flew into area. Ah-Un landed behind Sesshoumaru and put the toad back onto the ground. Sesshoumaru's attention was brought back to the inu-tachi, as he heard the miko whispered growl under her breath. "I can't believe this. I might go nuts after this. People popping out of the damn trees."

"Formality Sesshoumaru? That doesn't mean anything to us." Inuyasha said.

"Even though you run wild mutt you do carry some rights of the court."

"I don't care. Formality does not give us anything to guarantee our safety."

"Fine. Then what do you propose?" Sesshoumaru eyes narrowed. The hanyou had proved to have some semblance of intelligence, which only grew to irk him.

"Inuyasha. We should talk this over. He is serious about this." Sango whispered to the hanyou.

"Feh, whatever." He whispered back though knowing that Sesshoumaru could hear them. Inuyasha grinned and his eyes shined with mischief. "You can come with us but, you don't move, talk, breath, or even take a piss without telling us. And you can't harm or kill anyone or try to take MY Tetsusaiga. And you can't get in my way if we get in a fight."

"Unacceptable."

"Too bad."

A slap resounded through the woods. Inuyasha held his face, as he looked Kagome. Her hand trembled from anger. "You are useless Inuyasha. What good is it if you force him away? He might be your evil brother, but it is stupid to turn him away. Can't you think? At least a little bit. If Naraku is too afraid to attack Sesshoumaru head on, then having him here is a good idea."

"What? No!" Inuyasha snarled, nothing good ever came from with having his brother involved.

"Look I'm truly sorry Inuyasha for hitting you but you needed it. I had to slap some sense into you. Having him here is a good idea, even if he using us. Naraku will think twice before bothering us. And that will buy us time to find more shards before he does. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Inuyasha repeated.

"Kagome-sama is right Inuyasha." Miroku broke in. "You do not have to like the idea of him being near, but we can use his strength. Naraku is a cunning but cowardly. And they are the most often the hardest foe to kill."

Kagome turned from her friends and spun to face the demon lord. "Sesshoumaru here is what we will agree on. We will not hurt or kill each other. You can do what you want and we do what we want. But when it comes to fighting you help us… if we need it. And after the fight with Naraku is over we go our separate ways." Kagome said, "Oh and you can't go after Tetsusaiga." She added as in after thought.

"That is acceptable."

Inuyasha growled and placed Tetsusaiga in its scabbard and jumped back into his tree branch, sulking over Sesshoumaru. Kagome left Inuyasha in the tree and collected her neglected bow. And went back to her sleeping bag. Miroku and Sango were more hesitant to let go of their guard, but they relented and went back to their spots. Shippou left Kirara and jumped into Kagome's lap. He looked up at the girl; he could see she was still tense from everything that happened.

"Kagome are you sure that it was a good idea letting Sesshoumaru stay here?" Kagome looked down at the kitsune and let out a small laugh. She grabbed his face and wiped the mess that was still on his face from the smore.

"Shippou it looks like that you have most of your smore on you face than your stomach." She giggled and licked her thumb and tried to wipe the sticky mess from his face. Shippou pawed at her hand, clearly embarrassed but she didn't answer his question. For the first time since he met her, he couldn't help think that she was crazed out of her mind, and he might feel safer in Inuyasha's lap than hers, with the bloodthirsty demon nearby.

"Kagome you didn't answer me."

"Shippou its ok. Sesshoumaru is a lot of things but I never once seen him lie, or deceit us. And I sense that he will keep HIS word, like WE will keep ours." She said that louder enough for both demons nearby.

Sesshoumaru heard the kitsune and miko's conversation he found it funny that the kitsune thought that the woman-child had allowed him to stay. But she was correct, he would not go back on his word, they had their uses. Though he was using them he clearly understood that they were using him too. It was acceptable. In fact if the miko hadn't suggested that he would have thought them as stupid. To take advantage of a situation not only guaranteed survival, it improved it.

He walked away from the group wanting his space from them and his hanyou brother. He sat beneath a tree and watched as Rin started a small fire with the assistance of Jaken. Despite all the claims of hating the human girl, he knew the imp grew attached to the human in his own perverse way. Ah-Un lay across the ground circling protective of the girl. Rin had the almost magical power of making people like her. As his thoughts wondered his went back to the miko and her group. She too had the same gift. When he first met her it was just Inuyasha and her. They bickered horribly and the hanyou didn't seem to care about her, which was until she pulled Tetsusaiga from his father's grave. The hanyou then hastily promised to protect her, and he shortly lost his arm.

Sensations began to move within his body. He could feel the phantom attachment of his now missing arm. He could feel as if it was still there. Silently he cursed himself for being stupid. What was done was done. His arm would grow back. But it would take nearly a century despite all his best effort, no magic or potion or healing herb would counter the effect of a severed arm. He would have to wait it out.

From his place under the tree he could see Inuyasha's rag-tag group. The miko had climbed into a strange fabric and laid down her back to him. The taijiya and the monk had followed suit and went into their own strange fabric bag. The kitsune was under some blankets and held the small fire neko to him. His half-brother was in his tree branch, he wasn't asleep he knew it. He was watching him. It didn't bother Sesshoumaru; he had nothing to hide. Sesshoumaru watched Rin finish tending the fire and she leaned into the dragon for extra warmth.

Inuyasha sat from his place in the trees and watched all that was below. His friends were asleep, and Sesshoumaru's company was also asleep. He noticed him watching them. He didn't like that he was so close. Even with the new alliance they had, but he couldn't help think it was a useless agreement. Sesshoumaru was too proud to need help. Even if he was using them like he had admitted it, he didn't trust him anymore than he liked Naraku.

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The sun began to rise as both hanyou and youkai watched the sun slowly rise from the ground. The humans were still asleep including the kitsune, neko and toad. Inuyasha hopped down from his tree and his woke the other's up in an unusual show of concern. As if Sesshoumaru had bewitched them in their sleep he wanted to make sure that they were okay.

"Oi Kagome, wake up. Hey I say wake up. You got to make ramen." Well maybe not.

"Inuyasha not now. I need sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep." Kagome whined into her pillow.

"Fine whatever." Inuyasha went to his next victim, Shippou. "Hey stupid wake up. We got to get going." And Inuyasha was welcomed with teeth clamped down on his hand. Inuyasha yanked his hand free and growled at the kitsune. "You stupid little bastard I'm going to kill you!" Shippou heard the warning, ran from his blankets, and ran towards Kagome, his only safe place from Inuyasha's anger.

Inuyasha grabbed the fleeing kitsune's tail and yanked him off the ground. "Let go Inuyasha! If you don't Kagome will sit you!" Shippou tried to claw Inuyasha but he was too short he couldn't reach him at all.

All thoughts of Sesshoumaru and his possible threat disappeared or lay forgotten as Inuyasha and Shippou had their usual battle of wits.

"I don't think so. She can't sit me if she's asleep." Inuyasha raised the kitsune to his eye level and Shippou could see that he couldn't get out of this one. Inuyasha flexed his claws but he was slammed into the ground. Not by a subduing spell but by a boomerang.

"Inuyasha don't be so rude in the morning." Sango yawned as she placed her bone weapon back down. Shippou whispered his thanks to his unexpected savior and Sango just waved it off, as she stretched her arms above her head. A familiar hand found its way on her butt, she found that Miroku was awake and she slapped him off, "Hentai! Keep your cursed hands off me you stupid monk!"

"I'm sorry Sango but your had some leaves on your kimono." Miroku chuckled and he got back off the ground and began to clean up his sleeping bag.

"Yeah right. Didn't you use that excuse when you felt me up yesterday." Kagome yawned as she stretched; her shirt rode up exposing her stomach. Miroku watched from the corner of his eye. He loved the girl from the future, never had his eyes been rewarded this much before he meet the girl.

"Kagome-sama you can not blame me wanting to help the both of you from looking unclean."

"Next time you might insist helping us bathe since we are so incapable of keeping ourselves clean." Kagome said as she climbed out of her sleeping back and rolled it up and replaced it as she pulled out ramen, bathing supplies and clothes.

"Only if you need me Kagome-sama, I would love to assist you and Sango."

"Stop being a pervert. She was joking houshi." Sango yelled as she smacked him again which only made him fall back onto the ground.

Miroku clutched his abused cheek. He knew that she was joking but it didn't mean that he couldn't play along. "My dear Sango, can you not take a joke?"

"Not when it comes from you. Knowing you, you would ask to come with us even if it was a joke." Miroku smiled at the taijiya and only made Sango's eyes narrow at him.

"I'm going to take a bath, and no you can't come Miroku." Kagome said as she held the bathing supplies in her arms. "Would you like to come with me Sango? Shippou?"

"I already bathed a few days ago." Sango said as she eyed the monk.

"Well what about you Shippou?"

"Nah, I'm hungry, I want to eat."

Kagome shrugged and handed the ramen to Sango. "Here Sango, you can prepare it. The pot should be in my bag."

"Sure Kagome-chan." Sango grabbed the ramen and went through her bag as Kagome walked away towards the small lake. Kagome got nearer to the lake and farther from her group when Inuyasha intercepted her.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Inuyasha, I know you heard me. I'm going to take a bath."

"Not with bastard here."

"Huh? You mean I can't bathe at all?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms and nodded his head quickly. He was right and Kagome would just accept it and he wasn't going to take no for answer.

"Are you nuts? I can't go days without bathing." Inuyasha's eyes widen in surprise as she was looking at him as if he grew a second head on his shoulders.

"Fine then I will go with you." Kagome faltered, and nearly dropped her bathing supplies.

"No you won't. I swear you are just as bad as Miroku."

"I don't want to watch you bathe, I just want to make sure the bastard doesn't do anything."

"So you are not worried about Sango or Miroku? He could something to them." Inuyasha's arms dropped from his body. He hated it whenever she out smarted him. 'Damn it wench, can't you see that Sesshoumaru can't be trusted?'

"They can take care of themselves."

"Oh and I can't? I can recall that I hurt Sesshoumaru as many times as you did. So don't lay that protection crap on me." Inuyasha whined, annoyed that Kagome wasn't relenting. Kagome giggled a bit and that made Inuyasha snap of his whining. "Look Inuyasha I will be fine. Really. Besides Sesshoumaru can't be a pervert at least I hope not. He won't spy on me. And if something does happen I will yell out for you."

"All right wench, don't get yourself kidnapped or killed." Inuyasha stalked away back to the camp, ignoring the smells of ramen and kept his senses alert for anything that could happen to her.

Kagome walked towards the spring, she nearly skipped over to it. She wanted a bath so much, since she had slept in her uniform. She stripped herself of her clothes, leaving on her bra and panties. It took a few times for her to understand even though she thought of bathing as an act you did by yourself, others would still barge in on her, specifically a certain monk, and a few times an over zealous wolf. She took no chances anymore.

She slipped into the lukewarm water and she dived into water. She swam around letting her body get used to the temperature, then swam back to the surface near the edge of the water. She grabbed her shampoo and washed her hair diligently. One thing she didn't like about the Sengoku Jidai, you could get dirty from anything and everything. And her poor hair got the brunt of it. She honestly could go without bathing as long as she had clean clothes, but she absolutely could not stand dirty nappy hair. It made her feel gross.

She dunked under the water to rinse her hair of the strawberry shampoo and took another lap around the lake, before she went back to her supplies. She grabbed her conditioner and worked her into a rich lather before dunking her head again. Kagome looked around to make sure no one was around before she slid out of her underwear. She quickly washed and rinsed herself before she grabbed her towel and covered herself as she climbed out. She grabbed some clean panties and slid it under her towel.

Yes being paranoid did make her feel better about her modesty. Like her mother always said, 'Better safe than sorry.' Kagome did one last check before she dropped her towel and snapped on her bra. Kagome rummaged through her belongings and seized her shirt and pulled it over her head. She found her shorts and pulled them on. Kagome now was free to do, as she wished without free of being spied on. Honestly who would enjoy watching a girl brush her hair or put on deodorant? Finished, Kagome took up her bathe supplies and wet/dirty clothes and headed back. She didn't notice the person blocking her path.

"Watch where you are going." Kagome looked up to find Sesshoumaru staring down at her. The cut across his nose was still there. But it didn't take away from his feminine beauty. Kagome stumbled back, she didn't like the closeness he shared with her, but Sesshoumaru closed in on her.

"How long have you been standing there?" Kagome choked out as she backed up again.

"Not long enough."

"Not long enough? Huh? You wanted to see me bathe?" Kagome narrowed her eyes in anger. With fear of her modesty gone, she brushed past Sesshoumaru and headed back towards the camp. If he wanted to be a pervert he could be a pervert alone. Sesshoumaru remained where he was and watched the confusing human leave him. "Why do I always get the weird ones? Hojou, Inuyasha, Kouga, Naraku, and now Mr. High and Mighty Dog Demon. Damn someone up there hates me." She muttered under her breath with Sesshoumaru still within hearing distance, as she broke through the tree line to see her friends all ready to go. The fire was gone and the traces of ramen for breakfast were gone. She dropped her stuff into her bag, and placed her wet clothes and towel in a plastic bag, and she pulled out a cereal bar, as she heaved her heavy pack unto her back.

Hey I'm ready to go."

"About time. What did you do all that time?" Inuyasha snarled in annoyance. He was ready to go for a quite awhile, but he didn't bother trying to get her knowing that she would sit him no matter the situation. But he hid is happiness that nothing had happened to her while he was gone.

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Sesshoumaru sat under his tree as he watched the sun rose. Rin was still asleep against Ah-Un, the dragon had curled up around the girl protectively as if she has it's pup. Jaken too was asleep the Staff of Heads laid a few feet away, as the toad youkai had let go of it during his sleep. Sesshoumaru watched the other camp on the other side of the meadow. His bother sat in his tree branch watching his own group.

The hanyou hopped down and tried to wake the strange miko wench from her slumber but she refused to take his command she demanded that he let her rest. Sesshoumaru snorted at the act. It was a wonder on how the hanyou had managed to secure such a small but formidable army and them not take his instructions. The hanyou then turned onto the small kitsune. The hanyou and kitsune were trading barbs and injuries, but it seemed the hanyou had no patience when it came to the small fox demon.

It was amusing hearing the kitsune threaten his brother through the miko. So ready to believe that she would come to his rescue. It was sad to have such faith in a _human girl_. Sesshoumaru watched and held in the laugh that threatened to spill from his chest. It seemed that not only the hanyou was controlled by the miko but by the taijiya as well. That little group was quite amusing. If he had nothing better to do, he honestly would watch them like that of kabuki theatre, his own private entertainment. It seemed that despite the hanyou's attempt the miko awoke herself after the monk was knocked back for being fresh with the taijiya. Even from his distance he clearly heard her cry out of his perversion.

The interaction among all of them proved that they were loyal and trusted each other with their lives. No one thought of anyone as any less. Surprising him a bit since _a miko_, _a monk_ and, _a taijiya_ traveled with _a hanyou_, the one despised above all others, and _two youkai_. He was raised since birth to hate taijiya, miko and monks. And he knew that most youkai feared and loathed them as well. And of the same with humans.

Out of all the things he saw in Japan, the group he watched was one of the most fascinating. The miko was the most intriguing though. She wore indecent clothing, spoke rudely and polite at the same time, as she never considered the class system in her words. She spoke to _him_ as if she was his equal. She had an odd speech dialogue and spoke strange phrases, that he never heard of. She had more power than any human but yet she did not take advantage of it. And she had many crazed concepts of the world. She seemed to view the world as two parts. Good and Evil and which he just happened to fall into the evil category of hers, though he had witnessed that she gave everyone a second chance. It was confusing. To battle someone, turn around, and give them aid. She didn't care if you were youkai, a thief, a whore, a hanyou, sick or poor, she helped those that need it without ever asking for anything in return.

However, the monk in the group was interesting too. For someone who claimed to be a monk he did not act like one. From what he understood monks were meant to be pious, selfless and celibate. From everything he learned the monk was not any of these. Sesshoumaru doubted that he really was a monk; it had to be some scam, even though he did have spiritual powers. What ever the monk was he was odd like the girl. Unlike the miko he expected a profit from his good deeds, and helped if there was some kind of award. This is what he could relate to, he did as he wished and did nothing if he didn't want to. The monk seemed to have a better view of the world than everyone else in the group.

He watched the taijiya with distrust, even though it seemed that she did not hunt down every youkai that they came across like most demon exterminators, she did have the natural biased ideas that the miko did not. She was a demon exterminator, and Sesshoumaru knew if the woman could wish it she would rid the world of youkai. It was just the matter of upbringing. She hated him and he despised her, for they both exterminated each other's kind. But for very different reasons, Sesshoumaru honestly didn't care about her and the demon that did her wrong. She was like every human that he has met. Nothing special about her.

The kitsune was of no concern. He had no power that he needed to worry about, but made Sesshoumaru wonder on how the kitsune came to be in the possession of the miko. It was obvious that the miko looked after the cub, and he seriously doubted that she stole him away from his parents. He concluded that the kitsune was an orphan like Rin. Sesshoumaru looked at his own orphan and a felt a small tug at his heart. She was his, and he accepted that. He would protect Rin like the miko with her cub. That thought entertained him. Him, a youkai with a human child and a miko with a youkai cub, it was a funny concept.

He was brought out of his thoughts and looked at the one who disturbed him. The miko had announced that she wished to bathe. She was so full of surprises. It was rare that someone, and even more shocking that a human would wish to keep themselves clean since they didn't have the superior senses youkai had. In fact most youkai did not bath that often themselves. But any higher youkai with a sophisticated sense of smell knew the importance of keeping the stench of decay and sweat from their person.

He noticed his brother had returned from the miko's direction and didn't overlook the glare his younger brother gave him. Sesshoumaru was sure that they had forgotten about him, but he was surprisingly pleased that they haven't. The humans, the kitsune, and the pet neko, too gave him a look but they went about fixing their meal.

Sesshoumaru wondered what his foolish brother told them about him. He knew the hanyou would have told them that he hated humans, but Inuyasha did not know him, he wasn't the youkai that his _dear_ half-brother made them believe.

He didn't hate humans, in fact; he even respected a few. It just took a personal reason to hate something, and he had no reasons to do so. He did not know humans so therefore he could not hate them; he just simply disliked them. It was far more impersonal and cold to act with indifference. He was Lord of the Western Lands; he viewed everyone like insects. Those in his way were struck down, those who disobeyed died, and those that pleased him were rewarded. He views were different from most youkai. They all hated humans and believed themselves superior. They thought that humans were nothing more than a nuisance that need to be exterminated, or used as entertainment. Nevertheless, they didn't realize that humans viewed them the same way.

A few years ago he thought the same of humans like all other youkai, but Midoriko and his own travels changed his views. Humans had their uses for his land, and they did not realize that humans and youkai were so much alike and so different. It was a confusing conflict but it was quite true. Youkai and humans both reacted the same in with war, love, hate, lust, friendship, betrayal, and in peace.

Sesshoumaru looked at the group again. He grew bored watching them. He was comfortable with his observations of the group, but he was unfulfilled. The most intriguing human wasn't there for him to dissect. He stood up and went in the direction of the miko. He wanted to see what she was like alone. He was careful to avoid Inuyasha. The boy was quite protective of her from everything.

Sesshoumaru found the miko near a small lake. She stood directly in front of him and she was garbed in a strange garment. She wore a skintight fabric that was white with red hearts printed on the fabric; around her rear and she was bending over her bag seizing another of her strange clothing items. She shook her hips almost seductively and he had an ample view of her velvety, crisp, pale legs. For a woman child she had no hair on her legs. He couldn't feel put of; it was strange seeing this. He was sure that the miko was an innocent so why did she act so sensual, so indecent? It was odd watching her dress, she did not seem to know that he was there, but still she held his attention. When she stood and pulled down a pink sleeveless shimmer like fabric over her head, he saw that she had a strange strap around her back. He didn't know what it was or what's it purpose was but his thoughts changed when she pulled out a pair of pants made of a long dense fiber he never seen. When she had finished on with the dark blue pants, it seemed to accentuate her backside and legs. She slid on her socks and peculiar shoes.

Sesshoumaru found himself looking forward to their confrontation. From what he had witnessed with the others and her, she would be embarrassed, blush and she would yell out obscenities, and might call out for her hanyou protector. On the other hand, she would shrink from fear and try to hide from him. He didn't know which reaction would be more suitable, but he prided himself on making anyone uncomfortable when he wished it.

She turned and walked towards her still not noticing his presence. 'So the miko is untrained, horribly under-developed it seems. What a surprise.' Sesshoumaru decided that he would make his presence known since she was too absorbed in her own world. 'What an odd girl?' "Watch where you are going." His voice cut through the wind and the noisy forest creatures and the miko finally noticed his being.

She stumbled back from shock and looked up at him, but he just stepped closer to her, waiting for her reaction.

"How long have you been standing there?" she demanded in a quiet voice.

"Long enough." Sesshoumaru teased. He wanted to bait her for some reaction, anything to show for his quiet observations of her.

"Not long enough? Huh? You wanted to see me bathe?" Her confused/angry response was how he thought she would react but he didn't expect that she wouldn't start yelling about her modesty and call him a pervert. Instead she simply walked past him as if he was nobody and he clearly muttered under her breath about him and all her male problems. He turned to watch head towards her friends and he stood there just contemplating her actions.

He had to re-evaluate his assessment of the woman-child. Not only was she loud, brash, and foolish but also she was also rude with no regard for her station, untrained and intriguing. He hated things that were intriguing; they proved to be the most mysterious, dangerous unpredictable things to ever plague the earth. Yet they sucked anything and everything like harpies, all are unable to pull away from their hypnotizing spell. He would be wise to tread carefully around the miko. He even he could not foresee any of her actions. He would watch and learn from her and the group. If Naraku viewed them as his biggest threat he wanted to know why.

Sesshoumaru ran back to the clearing to find that his brother's group had left but they were not that far ahead and that Rin and everyone else were awake.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Good morning."

"Morning Rin."

"Sesshoumaru-sama you are wounded!" Rin cried out, Sesshoumaru looked down at his ward, she was clearly upset that he was hurt and the concern was swirling in her dark eyes.

Sesshoumaru inspected his nose again. A strange emotion washed over him, it wasn't strange as he new the emotion well but he couldn't understand as to why he felt it. He WAS proud. The evidence on his face that he was wounded by an untrained, human, miko, but yet the feeling was clearly pride. It sickened him that he felt it, but he did not deny it. He was proud of his battle injury. "I'm fine Rin."

"I'm happy that you okay Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin's grin grew wide, and showed the gap in her teeth. Though her teeth were growing in, the gap was still there.

"Silly girl! Sesshoumaru-sama is tougher than you think! A simple misshape of a worthless human could never harm our lord." Jaken squawked, waving the Staff of Heads angrily. "Sesshoumaru-sama what of the hanyou's group are you not going to follow?"

"I am aware that they left, I did not forget." Sesshoumaru just simply turned and walked after the hanyou and his group of friends. Jaken gave chase after their lord, with the Staff of Heads weaving to and fro over his shoulder. Rin held on to Ah-Un's reigns as she walked behind her lord, easily out pacing Jaken with his short legs.

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"How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-two."

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"That on your hand."

"Its my glove to cover my cursed hand."

"Why is it cursed?"

"It's cursed to grope every woman he sees." Sango interrupted.

A short time passed and the two groups were reluctant to fuse, slowly started to mix. Inuyasha walked in front like he always did, with Miroku and Sango behind him. However, with the newest edition of Rin, she stood between the monk and taijiya, chatting away and asking questions. Kagome was on her bike with Shippou in the basket of her bike, with Sesshoumaru behind her with Jaken and Ah-Un bringing up the rear.

"Kagome can I have something to eat?"

"Sorry Shippou its not lunch time."

"But I'm hungry..." Shippou whined.

"Shippou." The kitsune looked at Kagome and understood that he couldn't talk her out of it. He bowed his head, he didn't understand what he did, but he was sorry. Kagome sensed his distress and cut him of it. "Shippou it's almost time to take a break, you don't want to ruin your meal, before hand. You might not have not enough room for dessert."

"Dessert?" Shippou asked with his eyes full of glee, all sadness was washed away. Shippou jumped on her shoulder on hugged her neck. "Kagome you're the best!" Kagome laughed and hugged the kitsune one handed with her other hand still on the handle of her bike. Shippou jumped back into the basket and looked forward to his dessert. "Hey Shippou why don't you try to make friends with Rin? She looks to be around your age."

"But Kagome I'm way older than her, and I'm a youkai. I don't think that she will like me."

"So?"

"But Sesshoumaru-"

"What about him? Look he won't hurt you if you try to be friends with Rin. Just think of him as an overprotective dad, all right? Go ahead and talk to her. I'm sure that she will like you."

Shippou looked from Kagome to Rin. She walked happily between Miroku and Sango still asking questions. Finally Shippou got the nerve and jumped out of the basket and quietly walked up the girl. Kagome barely could hold in the laugh at Shippou made the first attempt at talking to her. The girl seemed happy to finally talk to him, Shippou avoided her since Sesshoumaru joined them group, only to keep the inu youkai from killing him. Kagome and along with Sesshoumaru watched as Rin grabbed Shippou and pulled him off the road and dragged to the meadow that was full of flowers.

Miroku watched as the little girl that wouldn't leave his side to play with Shippou, he never been so happy to be free of a woman's presence before. He stepped back as Kagome rode up next to him and smiled in gratitude. "It's okay Miroku, she is just curious. I don't think she gets a lot of people to talk to."

Miroku sighed and blinked his eyes, "That maybe so, but is it natural for someone to talk that much?"

Kagome laughed at Miroku as she rode past him leaving him behind. "Miroku you should know better. No one talks more than me." She said yelled back with a giggle. Miroku stood where he was dumbfounded. Only Kagome could laugh at herself in such a playful manner. He started walking again, and found him next to Sango again, but with no child between. No words were exchanged, both were grateful for silence.

Kagome rode up next to Inuyasha. All day she could sense that he wasn't happy, and she knew the cause. Kagome got off the bike, and walked beside her best friend. "Care to tell what's bothering you?"

Inuyasha made a guttural noise in his throat and refused to look at her. He hoped his sulking would be enough but he knew that she wouldn't give up.

"Come on Inuyasha, what's wrong? You've been in a bad mood for awhile now."

Inuyasha growled and his hand went instinctually to his Tetsusaiga, he gripped the handle. The move seemed to calm him down as he finally looked at Kagome. "It's nothing Kagome. I'm fine, I just have a bad feeling that's all."

"I think it's more than that."

"It's nothing, just drop it okay?"

"Inuyasha I thought you trusted me more than that. If something is wrong I want to help." She growled in annoyance. 'He can be so stubborn!'

"Nothing is wrong, just drop it wench." Inuyasha walked faster leaving her behind.

"Osuwari!" she screamed so loud that Sesshoumaru from far back wince at her tone. Inuyasha pummeled to the ground, and dust whipped around his prone body. Kagome stood next his crater overlooking him, and her voice was tinged with anger. "Inuyasha you jerk. I wanted to help you but you had to be a stubborn baka. And you know not to call me that. You know my name so use it, unless you want to be sat again. Got it?" Inuyasha could barely nod in understanding, before she continued. "Since you are obviously too wounded to move," she cursed, "We should rest for a while. It's lunch time anyway." Kagome walked her back off the road, set her bike down, and rested under the shade of a tree. Miroku and Sango took no time to abandon Inuyasha on the road to the preferable shade of the tree from the hot sun. "Shippou, Rin you hungry?"

Shippou and Rin ran back, on the whole time laughing and giggling at each other. Despite his reluctance, the kitsune found that he loved talking and playing with another kid. Shippou ran circles around the girl, and she laughed happily with a large grin on her face. She tried to catch the cub but she wasn't fast enough but she didn't care. They ran to the shade, hopped to the ground, and waited for their lunch.

Sesshoumaru looked at his brother still in the ground and coughed up a laugh. It amused him that the strongest hanyou around could be subdued so easily. He too left Inuyasha on the road to sit with the others. It didn't bother him that the miko was the one in charge. She had no authority over him, and he did what he wanted. The pace was slower than what he was used to but he didn't care. If this was the method they used to find jewel shards and fight Naraku then he had no problem adapting to the slow march. He found another tree a bit farther away from the others, but it was close enough to hear, and see everything that went on. He still didn't trust them, but he knew that Rin was in good hands with the miko and her friends.

He leaned against his tree and closed his eyes, though he could sense everything around him. Now was a good time to relax and meditate. It was his first chance to do it since he joined the group, as the first couple of days; he refused to keep his eyes off the hanyou and the taijiya. Though the monk and miko were more of a threat, considering he knew the destructive power of the Kazaana and the purification powers of the girl, they wouldn't go against their agreement unless he broke it first. They were honorable, even the monk in his odd way.

As he sat in his mediate stance, it was hard to clear his mind. Thoughts of Naraku, the miko girl, and his unwanted alliance refused to leave his mind. He doubted that he did the right thing. He liked his sanity and he was very attached to his reputation and honor. The cowardly hanyou, and the confusing woman-child plagued him. His subjects didn't care that he was hunting a hanyou that was bent on taking over his land, but they would rather care more about that he was traveling with a hanyou and humans. That _he_ sought help, that he was overpowered by wench of an under-developed girl.

No she was not under-developed, she was quite woman of her age. It would do no good to lie to himself. He remembered her curves when he caught her at the lake. He would be a fool not to have noticed. She practically danced in front of him in an indecent piece of cloth. But he would be a bigger fool to wonder about it any longer. She simply was a spell-caster; all males around her have succumbed to her charms. He wouldn't, no he didn't want to be caught by a simple curiosity. He began to wonder if she really was human. She seemed to have powers that were beyond human or youkai. Like those of youkai myth, she was one of the spirits that come to earth to cause havoc, and disrupt people's lives for their own amusement. Somehow this made him feel better about his curiosity about her.

A strong scent of sakura blossoms and vanilla with tint of ginger came into his sense. He opened his eyes to see the miko was kneeling in front of him. He tried his hardest to cover the surprise on his face. He was either so distracted and did not paying attention to his surroundings or the miko used her magic to hide her scent. He didn't know which one it was but he didn't like either of the options. The girl had a small smile on her face, and her blue eyes pierced his own. The wind blew gently make her hair dance to the invisible air. He took another breath and breathed in her scent. He never smelled anything like it. The sweetness of if and the calming effect of the vanilla calmed his spirit as his surprise eased away.

"Sesshoumaru I know that you don't like us much, but since you are an ally now, I think it's best if we got along ne?"

Sesshoumaru simply kept his stare, he couldn't think anything to say, and the only thought that crossed his mind is that he didn't like how she addressed him with such familiarity. It was beneath him to be addressed by someone who wasn't another lord, particularly a human miko, and his most natural enemy. But he decided that he would bite his tongue in favor of peace and the for the sake of killing the despicable hanyou. If there were peace amongst them then there would be no need to kill for honor and pride.

"Well anyway, I made some ramen, would you like some?" The smile on her face was still there, and Sesshoumaru kept his bored look on his face. "We have more than enough. I know you don't eat human food, but everyone who tried it loved it." Sesshoumaru finally allowed himself to nod. He didn't care for food at the time but he decided to give into his whim of his. He wanted to try it and see for himself. He looked forward to not liking it, and telling her so. "Great! I'll bring you some."

Sesshoumaru watched her run back to her temporary camp and fill him a bowl. He heard Inuyasha's objections to him eating HIS ramen but the girl simply ignored him. She was a trusting fool. He wondered if Naraku had asked forgiveness and wanted to repent for his evil, she just might believe the disgraceful hanyou and offer him her assistance. He snorted at the thought, if she was as he thought, maybe it would be a good thing to be rid of her after the hanyou was gone. He saw her walking back with a bowl full of steaming hot noodles and chopsticks. She set it down in front of him, and walked away, not expecting a thank you. As he inhaled the smell of the food, it smelled... appetizing, and poison free. He wasn't surprised by that, she would never stoop so low to do that. Life to her was important. She wouldn't take a life unless it was necessary.

He picked up the bowl and brought it to his lips, letting the hot seasoned water touch his lips. He had to admit it was not horrible, just over spiced. It over powered the taste, but he believed that it was seasoned for human taste but it was acceptable. He placed the bowl in lap and picked up the chopsticks. He swirled the chopsticks around the bowl, not caring about proper etiquette. (One thing he didn't like about these noodles was that it was it took two hands to eat.)

Kagome rejoined her friends after giving Sesshoumaru a bowl of ramen. She wasn't surprised that he didn't talk to her, he hadn't said anything if it couldn't be expressed through body language. She wasn't bothered by it; he didn't want to associate with people like her. But it wouldn't stop her from being nice. She thought of him as lonely. She never saw him with another youkai. She didn't count Jaken, as he was just a servant. She meant an equal, like a friend or a mate. She sought to become his friend, not because she pitied him or that he was an ally, but because she couldn't deny that she liked him and thought he would need a friend.

Sure he was arrogant, self-impressed with himself, narcissistic, rude (to at least to her friends), thought himself better than her, but she couldn't help that was what he let people see. She wanted to know what he was like when he was alone, or how he acted around other lords and youkai. What did he like, what he disliked, and what was his favorite food? She couldn't help but think that she was being funny, but she was curious about everything about him, as he didn't give away anything about himself. She would get through to him, she knew she would, if he would be anything like Inuyasha she would have quite a task on her hands.

"Oi are you going to eat that?" Kagome was pulled from her thoughts as she saw the hopeful look on Inuyasha's face. She smiled to herself, as she hoped to see Sesshoumaru look at her like that. But Inuyasha took her smile as a sign to help himself, and reached for her bowl.

"Sit." Kagome yelled on reflex. She grabbed her bowl as she heard Inuyasha's displeased growling. "I didn't say you could have it Inuyasha," and more cursing came from the ground. She laughed at Inuyasha, she didn't sit him that _hard_. She ignored him as he shot her a glare as he went back to his spot, as she ate her own ramen.

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Naraku watched the newly knit group of people that he wished to kill from Kanna's mirror. It was the last thing he expected that could happen. It did not bode well for him, he knew that, but if he was lucky he could force them at each other's throats and set them upon different paths once again or even manipulate it so they would kill each other.

It sickened him to see the _great_ lord, interact with the traveling pack. He thought that he hated his brother more than anything. But apparently he angered the lord more than the hanyou, if it meant that the lord threw away any pride to hunt with his half-breed brother. From what he witnessed everyone wasn't happy with the new alliance, except for the miko. The little wench was the one responsible for the new group. She certainly had her way with all the males. The little whore just had to flutter her eyes, and show some leg and she got what she wanted.

A cold laugh erupted from deep within his chest. If the little miko placed her charms on every male what would stop from the Taiyoukai from being enticed? Maybe this was something good that came his way. Distract the great lord, which would allow him to take care of the hanyou. A plan began to build inside his head, it would work, he knew it, and his enemies were slow to adapting to his changing strategies. He knew this one could not be countered.

"Kagura."

Within seconds his offspring appeared before him.

"Hai Naraku-sama?"

"Kagura I want you to watch Inuyasha's group and his _new_ friends. But do attack until I say to. The timing needs to be perfect."

"Hai Naraku-sama." And with the same instant as they appeared they disappeared into the shadows following his commands.

Naraku glazed back into the mirror that his prized offspring held. She was so obedient and loyal, two things he loved from his servants. Though his newest offspring was quite special itself, and he couldn't wait to unleash his power against the people he hated most.

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It had been a few weeks since Sesshoumaru had joined Inuyasha and his pack. It was quite uneventful for them. A few wild youkai attacks, a few shards here and there, and both groups were still jumpy around each other. Sesshoumaru hadn't spoken to anyone in the group except for Kagome who was the only one to talk to him first. And Inuyasha and his group just ignored the youkai lord as if he wasn't there. Though Rin was welcomed, as they couldn't do anything about it, she was a talkative child and pulled the reluctant humans into liking and caring for her. Jaken grew to annoy everyone, human, hanyou and youkai. But surprisingly Ah-Un was accepted by the inu-tachi as the two-headed dragon had protected Shippou during one of the attacks from a wild youkai that was carrying a shard.

They walked down a dirt and beaten path along another field, Inuyasha was in the front in his usual position, Kagome was behind him, pushing her bike along her. Shippou and Rin were running around her, playing on of the games Kagome taught them. Sango and Miroku walked side-to-side watching the two run amok. Sesshoumaru was behind them bringing up the rear. Jaken was forgotten as he walked slowly behind his lord while holding onto Ah-Un's reigns.

As Kagome walked past the road, a monotone scenery of what she had seen for the past flashed in her head. The memories rolled around in her head, as she watched the familiar red haori in front of her. She had to admit, it was an interesting time, though no one else saw it that way. Ever since Sesshoumaru joined the group, shard hunting certainly became easier and they avoided more unnecessary injuries. But she wasn't completely happy from the results. She had hoped that Sesshoumaru would open up to them but he hadn't. He barely spoke as it was. She couldn't understand why he was so antisocial, but it didn't help that her friends ignored him. She was the only one to talk to him. She had suspected whenever she actually tried to befriend Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha was jealous. She giggled lightly at the idea, but Inuyasha wasn't hard to read he was just stubborn about sharing anything. She honestly wanted to get to know Sesshoumaru, but for all her attempts he shut her out. Damn demon pride. Always mistaking friendship for something else entirely.

"What are you laughing about wench?" Inuyasha asked, interrupting her thoughts as he turned on her, barely standing a few paces away.

"Its nothing Inuyasha." She smiled, and walked past him, with her bike moving slowly with her.

Inuyasha leaped into air and landed between Sango and Miroku. They jumped up in surprise as he surprised them.

"Hey do you think she is alright?" Inuyasha asked.

"What would you say that?" The soft jingle of Miroku's staff was heard after he asked his question.

"She's been acting weird." Inuyasha growled, though leaving out what he thought the cause was.

"How is she acting weird Inuyasha? You just might be over concerned." Sango theorized. But the girl was a strange one; it was just simply normal for her to act weird. Maybe the hanyou didn't seem to understand that yet.

"She was giggling about something. I don't like it."

"Oh Inuyasha, I know what ails you. I have known several girls who have suffered from the same thing."

"Really? What?" Inuyasha asked; he was skeptical if it came from the perverted monk, but if it helped Kagome he didn't care.

"It's just simply a sickness that plagues the body, they giggle as a feverous heat consumes them and they need to release it or they go mad with heat. I would be happy to provide the service to Kagome-sama, but it would be best if we were alone. It is best if I dealt with it alone." A sly smile grew on his face, as his mind was invaded by thoughts of Kagome being _treated_ by him. Yes his treatment, which was best done without clothes...

"Hentai!" Sango screamed, as she slapped the monk. She didn't need to see his grin to know that he was thinking of Kagome in a perverted manor. Inuyasha growled at Miroku as he nursed his wounded cheek.

"Houshi, if you don't want to die, then don't ever mention that again," and with the warning he left him and went back to his place in the front of the line. Sango too abandoned him, walking away, but not before giving him a ample view of her backside.

Miroku continued on his way on the road, still nursing his sore and abused face. Thoughts of all his injuries from the past few weeks came haunting his mind. At first the pain was worth it, but he remembered the time that he almost was killed by the very youkai that came to make an alliance with them. He simply asked Rin a question and the lord had tried to kill him, and he would have been killed if Kagome hadn't stepped in and saved his life from a very angry lord. But he didn't escape fully; he was hit by both women and was dragged away before the lord could change his mind from sparing him. Miroku shook off the pain, what was done was done, but he knew that he would be careful around the lord, from now on. He doubted the lord had forgotten. He gathered his wits and walked as nothing had happened.

Sesshoumaru watched the interaction with a great interest. He could never be bored from watching those people. But he was curious to know what the miko was giggling about. No one had said anything to warrant such a reaction. So must have thought of something amusing to make her laugh. He could hear as clearly as if he was standing right next to her. It was a giggle that was usually associated with physical sexual attraction or something to that nature. He heard her and the taijiya laugh about some farm boys that tried to get their attention a few days ago. They whispered to each other about the humans, and the giggles were part of the girlish conversation. Perhaps the miko was not that innocent? She understood sexual advances from men, and she knew how to reciprocate the advances. However, she still was not with one yet. She was of child baring age, and she was not yet married. One would think differently from her dress. From her kimono it would give an impression that she has an _experienced_ woman.

He was pulled from his thoughts as he heard the loud smack that rang in his ears. The houshi made another perverted comment or he groped someone. The thought of the monk touching the miko disgusted him, or anyone woman for the matter. At first he understood the monk with his tendency to "handle" woman as he did, but after he dared to ask Rin to bare his child, it washed away all trust or lack of what was trust and _respect_. He had asked her once she was of age, but it sickened him that he asked her. Rin was his, and no one would touch her. He almost killed the monk, but he spared his life, when the miko stopped him. He once again allowed the girl her request, though he didn't like it, he simply would have her repay him for his entire leniency he gave her.

'Damn it Kagome what the hell is wrong with you? Since that bastard joined us you've been nice and friendly to a guy who wants to kill us, you are acting weird and you haven't paid that much attention to me.' Inuyasha thought to himself as he marched far ahead in front from the group. He honestly couldn't understand what was going on in the head of hers. He wasn't even sat in a while. Which was a small miracle, but it was not a good thing if she was not her self. Wild accusations began swarming in his head. His brother must have bewitched her, or something. Kagome wouldn't act like that otherwise. 'She was nice to the bastard! There is no other reason, he placed a spell on her!' He would show Sesshoumaru, he would remove the spell and dodge the trap he was planning. It was just a matter of time.

"Inuyasha we need to stop. Its lunch time."

Inuyasha was pulled from his thoughts as the very girl that occupied them spoke to her. "Feh. We need to keep going." He said the very words hoping to provoke her, he wanted to get angry and be back to normal.

"But Inuyasha, we all are hungry, and fighting on an empty stomach won't do us any good."

"Neither would a full one." Kagome faltered a bit, Inuyasha actually made a clever remark, but it didn't stop her from making her point and she would see to have their break.

"Yeah so? We need to keep up our strength for the rest of the day. And plus we have been _walking_ all day."

"What about the jewel shards huh? What about Naraku and his evil plans to wipe us out?"

"Well we haven't had any trouble from him in weeks, and does it matter if we run into him here or later down the road? At least if we do stop and he does come, we would be ready for him. If he bothers us today Inuyasha you can rub it in my face."

"Keh fine, do what you want."

"Arigato Inuyasha! I didn't have to sit you for it!"

THUMP!

"Oh sorry Inuyasha I didn't mean to say it!" Kagome dropped her bike and ran to Inuyasha who was splattered across the dirt road. Miroku, Sango, Kirara Shippou and Rin, who was now used to the odd arguments made their way to the trees and laid to rest. Sesshoumaru stood in the middle of the street, with Jaken still at his heels. He didn't like the feeling he had in the back of his head. His instincts were going off in his head like a bell alarm. He recently felt the strange paranoia of being watched, and he didn't doubt it was Naraku the clever bastard was up to something.

"About time." Inuyasha said but the muffled sound of his face full of dirt came out nothing close to what he said.

Kagome knelt down and checked on Inuyasha, she honestly didn't mean to sit him. She just forgot to avoid the 'S' word. Honestly why couldn't the subduing word be a more obscure word? "I'm sorry Inuyasha, it was a accident."

Inuyasha waited till he was free he jumped up and growled angrily. Kagome stood up and prepared fully for his anger.

"You stupid wench! How could you forget about it? You say it every day!"

"I told you that I am sorry! What more could you want?"

"Easy, I don't want you sitting me!"

"Why you-"

"Quiet. I smell Naraku." Sesshoumaru's voice held on emotion but it was clearly heard by everybody. Inuyasha tensed up and sniffed the air, he couldn't smell anything, but it didn't surprise him just angered him that his brother had a better sense of smell. Kagome dropped her yellow pack, she held her bow in her hands, and the quiver of arrows was at her disposal. Miroku and Sango joined them back on the road, while Shippou and Rin were with Kirara and Ah-Un staying under the cover of the trees. Jaken too was prepared along Ah-Un and Kirara with his Staff of Heads weaving side to side.

Finally Inuyasha could smell what his brother had sensed. It smelled like Naraku but it was different. Probably another offspring of his, no matter he would deal with it. He stood in front of Kagome protectively while waiting for the cause for concern come into view. A person appeared from the brush, ad he was as tall as Sesshoumaru. He wore a plain grey haori and black hakamas. As he walked closer, he had no weapons, and now humans could see his features as well. He was tanned and had short black hair but his bangs were long and shaped his face. A long green stripe was across his face, as it stretched from the corner of his left eye across his lips to the right side of his chin. He had pointed ears and blue eyes. His smile on his face was wide and it showed the fangs in his face. Despite the green stripe it didn't take away from his looks.

"Konnichiwa minna." A cheery voice loomed over Kagome and the others. This was the newest offspring? He was oddly friendly.

"Sesshoumaru are you sure that he came from Naraku?" Kagome whispered to the lord that stood came to stand next to her.

"I am sure."

"I don't care who he is, if he Naraku sent him, I'm going to take him out." Inuyasha snarled as he pulled Tetsusaiga from his scabbard, and it transformed into the great fang. Inuyasha ran straight towards the youkai with Tetsusaiga held over his head. The strange youkai remained where he was with the happy grin still adorned on his face. As Inuyasha charged, the stranger's arm shot up, slammed into Inuyasha's head, and dodged as the fang was swung at him. Inuyasha stumbled a bit as he tried to collect his bearings. The stranger was now standing a few feet from Kagome, Sesshoumaru, and the other humans on the dirt road leaving Inuyasha in the brush.

"That was rude! I say hello and you attack me. No wonder Naraku wants you dead." The strange youkai with the green stripe said with the smile still on his face.

"Naraku? So you are his offspring." Kagome pulled out an arrow and notched it in her bow, aiming at the very youkai she spoke to.

"I am indeed Naraku's newest offspring. Hello." He bowed politely and the grin on his face grew wider and his eyes were closed, he looked innocent, but Sesshoumaru didn't trust the facade. "I am Omoishoji, it's a pleasure to meet you. But you have it is unfortunate luck that I have been sent to make your lives hell." The grin never left his face, as he continued. "Kagome, Sesshoumaru, Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha, I hope that this will be fun. I know it will be." He bowed again, but as he did Inuyasha attacked and swung the Tetsusaiga, Omoishoji dodged again but the sword pierced his side.

"That won't ever happen bastard!" Inuyasha yelled as he waved off the blood from his sword.

Omoishoji grabbed his side and felt the blood pour freely from his wound. He looked at it fascinated with his eyes wide open, his hand held close to his face and looked his own blood. "You are really starting to annoy me half-breed, you don't understand that attacking me while I am talking is rude." For the first time, he dropped his happy facade, and his eyes were held with full of malice and hate. His grin was now a sadistic sneer, as he wiped his blood on the front of his grey haori. "You will the first to feel my anger hanyou." He sighed and the happy mask was back on his face. He looked at Kagome, Sesshoumaru and the others ignoring the hanyou. "Hmm, interesting. Not bad some of you are quite good looking." His eyes settled back on the two in front of him, Kagome and Sesshoumaru. "You are honestly very attractive you know that? If only I had the time to play with you..."

Sweat dropped from Kagome's brow, she didn't know you who he was referring to, his eyes had scanned over her self and the others. A cold chill swept across her body, she didn't like this guy, he seemed to be one a sick perversion which only made it worse since he was Naraku's offspring. Sango walked up and stood in front of Kagome protectively. Omoishoji gave her friend a look that she didn't like.

"Well you taijiya you are a bit too tough for my taste." Omoishoji gave her a wink and Sango blushed furiously and un-strapped Hiraikotsu from her back. Seeing her angry glare and the blush on her face, he explained further. "I wasn't talking about you, I was referring to the monk, and the demon lord. Though the miko looks delectable herself." He eyed Kagome again and licked his lips. "Nice legs."

"You are disgusting." Sesshoumaru broke the quiet tense of the group as he stared him, Miroku and Kagome down. Kagome felt sick to her stomach, she was right about the offspring, and she wanted nothing more than to hide from his presence. Miroku stepped back and looked at Kagome and Sesshoumaru. From what he could tell, the Taiyoukai was angry as Omoishoji had come onto him with his remark, and Kagome was disgusted. He himself was disgusted; a damn offspring of his most mortal enemy had a likening to him.

"Oh not really. It's not something you can help."

"Kaze no Kizu!" Inuyasha roared as he released the destructive power of Tetsusaiga onto Naraku's offspring. The waves of destruction sliced away at Omoishoji, his cries of agony could be heard for miles.

"God damn you hanyou! I swear on the powers of Hell itself you will die!" and with a last scream his body was ripped apart.

"I don't think so." Inuyasha turned his back on what was left of Omoishoji, faced his friends, and placed his sword back in its scabbard. "He was all talk. I'm surprised that Naraku sent him after us."

"He was a sick depraved youkai who was better off dead." Sango muttered to herself as she stepped away from Kagome. She was still angry at the demon, as she marched off the road.

"Well it doesn't matter anymore Inuyasha killed him." Kagome exhaled deeply, happy that it was over with Naraku's offspring Omoishoji. As she placed her arrow back into his quiver and picked up her bag, she didn't see the look of crazed malice form on her best friend's face. "Inuyasha, I think its okay to rest..." A blur of red sped towards her, and she was knocked back into Sesshoumaru. She felt a tinge of pain across her stomach, but she ignored it as she found the look on Inuyasha's face. He looked happy with her blood on his claws. Sesshoumaru held her with his one arm against his armor. He was taken by surprised when the miko crashed against him. Confusion hit him as he thought that his half-breed brother would rather die than to hurt the very woman in his arm. He tried to ignore the smell of her blood as her powerful scent covered him.

"Inuyasha! Have you gone mad? You just attacked Kagome-chan!" Sango yelled as she again held Hiraikotsu ready to defend Kagome against the last person she would ever believe to come to hurt them.

Inuyasha just licked his claws cleaning them of Kagome's blood. He laughed at Sango and he lunged back at Kagome but the great bone boomerang blocked his path.

"Inuyasha what is wrong with you?" Miroku ran at Inuyasha with his hands held tightly onto his staff, as he came between him and Kagome. "Why did you attack Kagome-sama?"

An evil crackle escaped his lips, and Kagome watched, as tears fell silently from her eyes. She couldn't believe what was happening. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see anymore. Something was horribly wrong, and she didn't register the fall as Sesshoumaru let go of her as he attacked the hanyou. Miroku caught her, and held her to him. Miroku inspected her wounds through her sliced shirt, it didn't seem life threatening, but he still had to prevent any more blood loss. He ripped a piece of his outer robe sleeve and placed pressure on her stomach. His eyes left her as he witnessed the battle between hanyou and youkai.

Sesshoumaru clawed at his brother, but Inuyasha leaped back and Sesshoumaru's claws just skimmed the front of his haori. Inuyasha just kept jumping back or dodging, as Sesshoumaru kept going after him. Inuyasha wasn't trying to defend himself; Tetsusaiga was still sheathed. "Inuyasha cease this useless action." Sesshoumaru ordered but the hanyou simply retaliated, and clawed at Sesshoumaru's face. Sesshoumaru pulled back as the claws nearly slashed his newly healed nose. "I will kill you if you do not stop."

"No you won't." A voice came in above, everyone looked up to see Kagura on her feather floating above the battle between brothers. "Hello Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, having fun?" A sharp sneer appeared on her face as she pulled her fan from her belt.

"Kagura."

"I see you haven't forgotten me monk." Miroku glared at the wind witch, but he felt movement below him, Kagome was trying to stand.

"Its hard to forget someone like you." Kagome snarled, as she wobbled on her two feet. Miroku held her in his arms with his hands holding up his blooded make shift bandage. Sesshoumaru, Sango and Inuyasha watched as Kagome pushed Miroku away and notched an arrow at Kagura.

"That isn't wise miko." Kagura threatened as she raised her fan and opened it in front of her face hiding her grin.

"Have you ever known me to do anything wise?" Kagome joked without a smile on her face. She pulled back on her arrow and it let it fly. Kagura flicked her fan blowing the arrow of course, but it continued to fly and it struck her feather. Kagura plummeted to the ground as hordes of youkai surrounded Kagome and her friends. Sesshoumaru kept an eye out on Kagura while still watching Inuyasha. He seemed docile than he did before. And Sesshoumaru didn't know what would happen. Kagura had came to _save_ the hanyou. Inuyasha would never ally himself with her and Naraku, but then why did she save him?

All thoughts were left as the hundreds demons swarmed over them, Sesshoumaru pulled Tokijin and gutted the first demon that attacked him. Inuyasha from the corner of his eye saw that he still didn't pull Tetsusaiga from its scabbard; instead he was clawing away at the demons. A scream went through the battle; Sesshoumaru turned and found that the monk was on his stomach with long claw marks on his back. The miko was the one to have screamed, as she stood over the houshi protectively with her arrows letting loose on all those who came near. He could see her fear on her face, but she remained adamant in the fight. He ran to her, joining her in her fight. He knew that she was not used to the one protecting people, but with the other girl distracted, the miko was on her own.

"Thanks." she hissed as she shot another demon that swooped down from above her. Sesshoumaru gave no reply as he sliced apart the demons Kagome missed. "Damn it!" Kagome cursed, her supply of arrows was dwindling. Kagome watched the battle as she purified demons that went after her and Miroku, it didn't look good, no matter how many they took out they still came after them. She reached behind her and found that her quiver was empty. "Damn it!" she cursed louder, ignoring her youkai companion's flinch, she bent down and pulled out bandages out of her bag, as Sesshoumaru continued to stand over her and Miroku. Her own wound was still fresh but it was closing. She ripped off the shredded, outer robe and pulled off his haori. She placed the bandages on her unconscious friend. She did all that she could, for the moment; at least she covered his wounds.

"Kagome!" a bark like roaring filled her ears, as Sesshoumaru and Kagome witnessed mass of demons disintegrated into nothing as the familiar power of Kaze no Kizu washed over the youkai.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome yelled hopefully, as she leapt up and stood next to Sesshoumaru. She saw him running towards her, but he was cut off as a huge tornado touched down onto the battlefield.

"This can't be good!" Kagome yelled. She watched as the tornado, moved and destroyed the ground itself, trees were plucked from the dirt and were sucked into the dangerous winds, the screams of the winds, were deafening.

"What magic is this?" Sesshoumaru asked, as he had never seen anything like it before. The winds twisted around like a top, pulling everything thing in it.

"Its a tornado! We got to get out of here!" She turned to face Sesshoumaru, but her screams were useless as the loud whistle of the tornado silenced her pleas. Kagome felt herself getting pulled towards the tornado and she grabbed the nearest thing to her- Sesshoumaru. Her small hands were plunged into his obi, as she was lifted off the ground. Her body was stretched in the air, with her feet waving dangerously in the wind. She looked up at the demon lord, and his face was construed in determination. Kagome felt the Taiyoukai's arm pull her into his chest, cradling her against his armor. "Please Sesshoumaru, don't let me go!" Kagome felt safe only for a few seconds, before she realized that her anchor against the winds was being sucked into it.

All chaos broke loose, as Sesshoumaru and Kagome were sucked into the great wind funnel. She shrieked and closed her eyes, as she didn't dare to open her eyes. Her hair whipped furiously in the wind, slashing at her face. Her only protection was the only arm that held onto her. She felt nauseated as she and Sesshoumaru were whipped around, at total command of the winds. Sesshoumaru pushed the miko more into his chest and he tried to double over her, trying all he could to keep her from leaving his grip. It was harder to do as he watched himself rise higher and higher in the funnel. He witnessed his brother, the humans, and many of the mindless youkai that attacked them at the mercy at the tornado. He saw no others in the tunnel which gave him hope that Rin was safe and far from the battle, but disgust grew at his own powerlessness, as he and the woman-child in his arms were shot out of the funnel. He held onto the miko, as he prepared themselves as they flew through the air. He watched as he pummeled to the ground. In that instance it reminded him of a kite he played with when he was younger. It was airborne for only a few seconds before it crashed to the ground. He couldn't but think that is what he must have looked like as he hit the ground.

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It was dark, and the stars were out. He was confused, why was it dark? He knew that he was on the ground and he felt a weight on his chest. He almost didn't want to look, as the waft of sakura blossoms entered his nose. He saw a mass of raven hair and the soft skin of her face. She was asleep. On his chest. He almost threw her off before the scent of her blood hit him. The battle from before entered his mind, his hanyou brother hurting his miko, Kagura coming to his rescue, and the great wind that blew him and the miko away. His thoughts softened as he let the girl remain where she was. The injuries must have reopened when they hit the ground he realized. It would do no good to remove her. He laid his head back on the ground, with his arm still around her hip. The stars seemed brighter than the last time he watched them. Lying there on the ground with a human woman-child asleep on his chest under the stars, he realized that he didn't mind. Her scent blanketed him, making him less tense then he normally would be after being in a battle.

He _was_ comfortable. The sensation was new, but he couldn't deny it. He breathed in deep and he took in all of her scent. It was almost cute the way she bobbed up and down on his chest as he breathed. Her hair seemed to glow in the starlight. Even when asleep she was still completely mysterious and alluring. He felt his eyes droop, didn't realized how drained he felt, and the girl's smell calmed him. It wouldn't do any harm to sleep, he knew he need it, and he felt somewhat safe in spite of being in a clearing with no protection.

It was bright, and it was warm. She felt the sun warming her body, as she slowly came aware of waking. She laid on something hard, and she felt trapped. She twisted her head, and saw that she was on Sesshoumaru. Her eyes opened in surprise, but what surprised her not the fact that she was still in his arms but that he was asleep. His face was angled so that she saw his profile as he slept on the ground, and his hair covered his pointed ear and some of his face. He had some cuts on his forehead, cheeks and around his lips, but they were healing. She wondered what could have hurt him, but as she tried to get off she felt the same weight that trapped her.

His arm held her to his armor. She smiled to herself. He didn't let go of her, a wave of thankfulness washed over her. She tried to wriggle out of his arm but a grunt of pain escaped her. She touched her stomach and felt the scab of her laceration on her belly, the same wound that Inuyasha gave her last night. The arm that pinned her was gone, she noticed, she looked back at the Taiyoukai. He gazed at her with a questionable glare, and she blushed horribly. She got off of him careful not to hurt herself and avoided touching him as she rolled off his chest and sat up next to him. She refused to look at him. The embarrassment was just too great for her.

"How is your wound?" Kagome her embarrassment forgotten looked at her belly and found it had scabbed over, but it still hurt. Her shirt was in tatters; she didn't need to move her shirt to see most of her cuts. She ignored her modesty as she spun to face him.

"Are you okay? Hitting the ground after being thrown from that must have hurt. And your face!" Her hand reached over to inspect his cuts, but his hand caught hers.

"They will heal. You need to tend to yourself."

"Yeah but,"

"No, you are..."

Kagome pulled her hand from his grip and narrowed her eyes at the demon lord. "Listen, to me, just because I'm human doesn't mean anything. You had it worse than me. A few cuts here and there are nothing compared to being slammed into the ground like an asteroid! You could have a concussion or something!"

"I don't need your pity." Sesshoumaru growled. He didn't understand why she was acting like that. She needed to tend to her own wounds and care for herself. He didn't need her pity, he was a youkai, his wounds would heal. He loathed being the object of pity. But he was surprised when the girl beside him glared and growled just as demanding.

"Look you, I do not pity you, its concern. You saved my life and I don't want you dying on me-"

"So its just your survival that you worry for."

Kagome yelled out of frustration, she punched the ground and glared at her demon companion. "You are impossible! I have been nice to you for weeks, hoping that we could be friends, and trust each other, but no! You have to think that I have to have a motive for everything! When I say I care, I care. I don't want to see you hurt. It's that simple. But now I don't think I care if you just curled up and die if you are going to be like that." She took in a deep breath, swallowing her anger. "I'm sorry okay. I didn't mean that. I don't want to fight. We are separated from everyone, hurt," she said implying both of them, "and we have to get along. I will be nice because I want to and I hope that you give me the same respect."

Sesshoumaru turned from her and looked away, the smell of water was strong, and he wished for nothing more than her to leave tend to herself. Her scent was driving him mad. It was never this bad, he never been so close to her before and her scent was all over him. "There is a lake." and pointed towards a small crop of trees. "Go tend yourself." The questioning look in her eye somewhat annoyed him that she was still concerned about his non-existent wounds, but it did make him feel warmer at the prospect that she cared. "I am fine, you wash first, and then I will go."

She smiled as she clamored to her feet and left him to his thoughts as she walked in the direction he gave her of the lake.

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The human of his thoughts walked right where he thought that she would show up. She reached the lake and stripped and cleansed herself in the water. He was right; she was delectable. Even more so with the beautiful slashes across her stomach. She wasn't the beauty that everyone else believed her to be; the demon lord was far more beautiful. She was alright, her breast were small and her hips narrow but she tasted better than anything he had ever tasted and he wanted to know what was underneath the strange garment that hid her womanhood. He would have her at least once. To hell with Naraku and his plans, he would do what he wanted with the miko, and her male protectors. The poor girl didn't even know what he had planned for her. He waited till she finished and headed back before playing with her, and the Taiyoukai. Taking the girl's clothes off would be his right to do.

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'Why is it so bright?' Inuyasha thought to himself as he cracked his eyes open. The sun was overhead, and he shut his eyes and rolled onto his stomach. 'What's going on?' he sat up, while blinking his eyes a few times. He was on the ground, and he was alone, in a middle of a road. He sniffed the air and nothing familiar was nearby. A moment later a strong wind blew past and his senses were assaulted.

"I smell Sango's blood." Flashes of Kagome buzzed in his head. He recalled everything that happened, Naraku's offspring, then his attack on Kagome and the strange wind tunnel. Inuyasha stiffened as he remembered her look on her face when he licked off her blood. He raised the very hand that sliced her, and he could see some of her blood underneath his claws. He thought it was just a dream. He didn't know it really happened. He hurt Kagome! And the worst part that he couldn't stop himself. He remembered watching everything and he couldn't do anything to stop it. As if he was not himself, but it was him that attacked her. He grabbed his head as he tried to wake himself from his nightmare.

Inuyasha growled and threw his hands away from his head. He needed answers and Sango's blood was in the air. He ran towards the over powering smell, and he found Sango in the woods, lying against a tree. She her head was a bit bloody and Inuyasha carefully prodded her wound. It wasn't serious; she just only lost some blood. He found her Hiraikotsu it was a few yards away, slammed into the middle of a tree, splitting it into two.

Inuyasha went back to the taijiya, and prodded her awake. "Sango, hey wake up." The taijiya moaned softly as Inuyasha held her shoulder gently rousing her from her sleep. "Sango wake up damn it."

Eyes fluttered open and Sango's eyes blurred in and out of focus. The blurred vision made it hard to for her to see who was talking to her. A red fuzzy image and silver streaks stood before, her and she recognized the distant voice from somewhere but she couldn't place it.

"Sango get up you lazy human, we got to find Kagome."

And as if she were in a trance her vision and hearing returned to normal and she pushed the hanyou away from her, in a surprising move, making Inuyasha fall back, and Sango pulled her katana from its scabbard. "Get away from me hanyou!" She snarled, as she swiped furiously at the half-breed.

"Sango are you out of your mind, its me!"

"I don't care! You attacked Kagome-chan!" Inuyasha held back the growl of guilt he felt, but it didn't stop him from defending himself from an angry taijiya.

Inuyasha grabbed Sango's arm that held the katana and he knocked it out of her hand, Sango not one to give up she pulled out a tanto from behind on her hip and targeted his neck. Inuyasha let go of Sango and pushed her back into the tree that she slept on, and her breath was knocked of her body, though her grip on her knife didn't lessen. "Sango stop, it wasn't me that did that. I was controlled by something."

Sango's glare didn't lesson until, Inuyasha went slack and hung his head in shame. "I hurt Kagome, I don't know how or why, but it wasn't me that did it. I was watching through a mirror and I couldn't stop it from happening. I don't care if you don't believe me, but Kagome is missing and we need to find her."

Sango sheathed her knife and Inuyasha looked up at her with clear relief written on his battle worn face. She grabbed her katana and Hiraikotsu from the tree, and silently climbed onto Inuyasha as he waited for her to collect her things and find Kagome.

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What was taking her so long? She only had to clean herself to remove her stench. Not waste half the morning. He needed to clean himself and be rid of any remaining evidence of her scent. He was so wrapped in his own thoughts he almost missed the miko that held his thoughts. He looked to see that she was back from her bath; he was slightly disturbed that he almost did not sense her arrival.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." Kagome whispered as she walked closer to him.

The Taiyoukai did not miss the tone she used in her voice, it was sultry and seductive, nor did he miss the sudden honorific suffix at the end of his name. He watched as she wrapped one arm under her breast and the other playing with the edge of her skirt. She marched closer to him and kneeled before him.

Sesshoumaru watched from curiosity. She was not acting herself. He could not smell anything out of place and he did not sense anything except for simple creatures that inhabited the woods. She simply must have finally lost her mind. No other reason could be found her sudden change.

Kagome kneeled before Sesshoumaru, he was still on the ground but he had pulled one leg into his chest and his only remaining arm lay resting on his knee. She pawed his thigh, and leaned closer pressing her chest against his cold broken armor. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I don't think I am feeling well. Can you help make me feel better?" The sultry tone was back and her hand started to wonder to the edge of his pants.

Sesshoumaru was no stranger to foreplay, but he could not believe that the miko dared to try to seduce him. "Remove yourself." She continued to ignore him as she played with his obi. Though curious at the girl, it sickened him that she would believe that he would rut with a human, but as he forced her off of him pushing her to the ground, her scent spiked, the air now thick with her arousal.

She was sprawled on the ground, he pushed her off stronger than he thought, but she simply sat up and began to peel off her shirt, and he nearly laughed as she struggled to get the fabric off and in her struggle, claw marks on her stomach reopened. She managed to get the shirt off and began crawling towards him. "Let us play Sesshoumaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru watched as the human crawled towards him like a neko youkai, the girl took her time and slowly crawled to him and gave him a seductive look and despite all logic, he simply couldn't look away, he couldn't help himself, the girl simply blocked every thought, as he watch her wiggle her hips and licked her lips as if she was starving. He stood up and tried to clear his head of all the thoughts that swarmed in his mind. A collision impacted against his chest and he was again enveloped in the sweet tantalizing scent that was Kagome. He dared to look down as the human stared at him with unspoken promises. A sudden jolt went through him and he felt the miko's hand cupping him.

"Wench remove yourself from this Sesshoumaru."

She looked away and an odd laugh erupted from the miko's mouth. She looked back at him with a wide grin. "I don't think that is what you want Sesshoumaru-sama." She rubbed her hand harder against his groin, and ignored the Taiyoukai's growl. Sesshoumaru grabbed the girl's shoulder and shoved her but, with surprising strength, she held on. "I told you I wanted to play with you. Too bad I must with this body of mine. The miko is not the most suitable for what I have in store for you."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and all amusement from the situation died. The girl was possessed! Why did he not realize this? He wrenched himself free from her grasp and pulled Tokijin from its sheath. The sword crackled with its evil aura, it wanted nothing but blood to be split. "Who are you?"

The possessed miko laughed again, took a step back from the angry inu-youkai. For a moment she ignored his question as she began to poke and prod away at her body. The miko looked down and as if for the first time studied her chest and grabbed the fabric that was held across her chest and yanked at it. It didn't move. She yanked again. "What is this thing?" She yanked again and with the struggle bra versus miko, one breast escaped its fabric wall.

Sesshoumaru's patience was running short, and anger began to flood throughout his body. The possessed miko ignored him and began to play with herself. Again his control was on the verge of collapse when she attempted to pull of her bindings that held her breast. He growled loudly and he seemed to knock the girl from her prodding.

"Oh, sorry Sesshoumaru-sama. I could not help myself. Such a strange girl isn't she? Well one must do what they need to do. I only wish that she would give me a fight like you."

"Answer me. You are not the miko, so tell me who you are."

"Did I not already introduce myself? It is a shame that you would forget me so easily Sesshoumaru-sama." The half-naked miko bowed politely as she reintroduced herself, "I am Omoishoji, son of Naraku."

With lightening speed, a pale claw was wrapped around the delicate miko's neck. The possessed girl gave no fight as Sesshoumaru lifted her off the ground. "You can not be him. He was slain by my hanyou half-brother."

The two looked at each other as the youkai lord held the girl in the air. One look was of amusement and the other of cold disbelief. Sesshoumaru snarled as the grin on the possessed miko's face did not fade. "My body was destroyed yes, but I was not killed."

"You lie."

"Believe what you want Sesshoumaru-sama, but I am immortal and Naraku's greatest incarnate. You can not stop me."

"No one is immortal." The girl's melodic voice rang in his ears as she laughed.

"If one can not die, then one is immortal Sesshoumaru-sama. Do you recall when the your half-breed brother attacked this miko?"

Sesshoumaru only narrowed his eyes.

"Did you not think it was odd that he would attack his precious miko?" A crazed looked appeared on the miko, and Sesshoumaru could not help but think that the look was lost on such a woman. "I am the one who hurt her. The look on her face was priceless Sesshoumaru-sama. Her sweet blood running over my claws, her shocked and scared look of wonder. The sweet nectar as it ran down my throat, as I tasted her blood. Its enough to make one hard."

The great lord snarled, at the Naraku incarnate scum, if he was right, then the entire battle was nothing but a ploy, a game for Naraku's amusement.

But the possessed miko misunderstood the snarl, as her eyes twinkled. "But I forgot, I am female, for the moment anyway." She grabbed his arm and a pink light emitted from her hand, and Sesshoumaru dropped the girl to the ground. A small handprint was brunt into his skin. "That is so disappointing really, that was meant to kill you, but the delectable miko is fighting me."

Sesshoumaru could not stop the growl that erupted from his chest, he wanted to kill the incarnate but he could not when he was held within the miko's body. His honor would not allow him to do so, but the damn incarnate had insulted him.

A strong wind blew past and Sesshoumaru could smell the scent of his half-brother and the taijiya coming towards them. Everything that possibly could go wrong was. But if he could use it to distract the miko perhaps he could find away to remove the possessor. He ignored the pain of his brunt arm he stuck out at the miko, but the crazed woman lunged at him, slicing her shoulder in the process. She wrapped her arms around his neck and curled on leg around his waist and planted a crushing kiss against his lips. The thunderous sound her blood that escaped her shoulder almost blocked out the angry yell of his half-brother.

The wench was ripped away as Inuyasha held Kagome in his arms. "Kagome! Are you okay?"

A weak cry escaped her as she wrapped her arms around the hanyou. He looked at the miko, his best friend, she wasn't wearing her shirt, she was exposed, and bleeding and she reeked of his brother. He could smell arousal and he didn't care who it was.

"Sesshoumaru you fucking bastard. I'll kill you!" Sango ran up and pulled the girl from Inuyasha's hold. Inuyasha charged, and Sesshoumaru reclaimed Tokijin from the ground and held up his sword as Inuyasha swung the Tetsusaiga trying to slice his brother open. "You are fucking dead Sesshoumaru!"

The two brothers snarled at each other as their swords repelled each other. Inuyasha with a free hand to use he tried to slice at the Taiyoukai's throat but Sesshoumaru pushed the hanyou back with pure strength. Inuyasha charged again, and swung his sword in front of his brother, as he was about to release the Kaze no Kizu, an anguish cry stopped the battle.

"Osuwari."

Kagome was decent again as she now wore her once discarded shirt that was now red from her closing wound, pushed her self from the ground and out of the grasp of the Taijiya. She marched between the feuding brothers; she ignored the angry snarls of the subdued hanyou and the distrusting youkai lord. She flashed Sesshoumaru a fortified glare as she held her ground in front of him. Inuyasha rose as the subduing spell wore off, and his eyes were bleeding red despite the Tetsusaiga held tightly in his fist. His upper lip was up and quivered as his growls challenged Kagome's interference. He moved the great fang in front and held the sword threateningly with but fists, he gave a quiet bark warning Kagome to move, but she refused to move from in front of the Taiyoukai.

"Inuyasha. Please calm down."

Inuyasha ignored her pleas and charged, wind began to whip around the sword as he neared the miko and the demon. As Inuyasha struck the sword in front of him, instead of the destructive power that was supposed to be released, the sword was back into its rusted and damaged form to his and Sesshoumaru's surprise. Kagome was still standing, completely unharmed and stoic. Inuyasha cursed loudly and threw down the now useless sword and bypassed the miko in favor of his brother.

Inuyasha was beyond words and logic, his demonic side began to take over as his eyes bleed completely red and the stripes broke free on his face. He ran after his brother and tried to swipe the left side of Sesshoumaru's face, but as he tried to dodge Inuyasha flashed from his view and appeared behind him and he felt the claws of his brother in his back. Sesshoumaru jumped from the rampaging hanyou-turned youkai. Instead of waiting for the crazed youkai, he charged, his poison whip materialized and he slashed at the demon. Instead of dodging the whip as Sesshoumaru had thought he would do instead, he grabbed the whip while ignoring the corrosive acid that saturated his fist, and yanked on the whip making the demon lord fly towards his brother. Sesshoumaru almost didn't see Inuyasha's next plan of attack, as he was propelled towards him, and Sesshoumaru moved to counter it. He released the whip and began to build up the acid in his palm.

As he neared the hanyou he shoot the pool of acid into Inuyasha's face, Sesshoumaru was forgotten when he began clawing at his own face, trying to remove the feeling of his face burn and bubble. Sesshoumaru fell to the ground, and rolled away and watched as the hanyou pummeled to the ground on the girl's command. The girl continued to subdue Inuyasha as she grabbed his fallen sword and held it against his back. The chaotic and crazed aura dissipated as Inuyasha fell unconscious and the transformed back into his normal self.

A few more minutes pass as Inuyasha remained subdued, Kagome climbed off her best friend and sat back cursed loudly. A hurricane of emotion swept through her as she looked at Inuyasha who knocked out in the crater she was responsible for. His claws were bloody and his face was blistered and had claw marks running over his face. If she didn't subdue him when she did, she was sure that he would have clawed out his eyes, to remove the acid. She heard a rustle of fabric and saw that Sesshoumaru had settled near her but from the question glare she knew that he didn't trust her. He had every right not to.

"Girl are you in your right mind?"

"I... I... I don't know. He's gone and everything but I'm not fine."

"This could be another ploy of that despicable incarnation?"

"I don't think so. He wanted to play with us but I don't think this is what he wanted."

Sesshoumaru watched the human. He wasn't sure if she was back to her odd and mysterious normal that grew to be accustomed to. She acted like Kagome, she talked like Kagome, and she had the emotional swarm that was Kagome. But he was sure that he would not fall for such a trick again. The girl had him on edge far more than he was comfortable with. As he watched over her, the idea of him using her name with such ease never crossed his mind.

"Ano, Kagome-chan, just what the hell is going on?"

Sesshoumaru and Kagome turned to see that Sango stood far from them, with Hiraikotsu held up against her side. She didn't like the attention from them after she was left to watch from the sidelines but the overwhelming confusion overrode any self-control.

Kagome bowed her head as the days events washed over her mind. She wasn't sure herself to what was happening but she had a good idea. Sango came to sit next to the girl, completely unaware of the girl's possession. "I'm not sure, but its all Naraku's fault. Inuyasha and I were possessed by Naraku's offspring, Omoishoji."

"What! I thought-"

"So did we, but he possessed Inuyasha right after he attacked him. Remember? He was not himself."

"But did he not regain himself during the battle before that great wind funnel swept us apart? And what of you and Sesshoumaru? What happened?"

Kagome's face reddened from embarrassment and fury, she could not bring herself to relieve it, and she never felt so violated and disgusted with herself.

"The girl tried to seduce me." Sesshoumaru sensed the turbulent emotions come from the girl, as he knew that she was reliving all that happened. He himself was brought up all that transpired, but the emotions that he felt were different from the girl's.

Kagome and Sango spun their heads at the demon lord. Fury and disbelief escaped Kagome as Sango's eyes widen in horror.

"What?" Kagome cried out in dismay. Was he not there when Omoishoji told him that it was he that controlled her? She could not believe this. The great demon lord was full of himself. She was not some tramp, or whore that jumped him because she wanted him. She was possessed; she had no control over herself. When she watched herself hurl onto him... like some hussy, her insides froze. Disgust, fury, embarrassment and shame lingered as she recalled all those things she did to him. And it only served to make her even angrier that the so-called great lord did nothing to stop it.

"Kagome-chan..."

"I did not try to seduce you! It was that... that... bastard! He told you himself!"

"And yet I recall that it was you that grabbed-"

"You complete bastard! I had no control over my body! It was him doing that, and I remember you not doing a damn thing to stop me."

"I ordered you to remove your hands from this Sesshoumaru."

"Oh there's something! The great Sesshoumaru ordered his enemy not to touch him! That is brilliant! So next time we see Naraku, and you tell him to hand over the Shikon shards, you expect him to bow to your wishes and kiss your feet! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Girl, do not mock this Sesshoumaru."

"Whatever! I was possessed and you act like it was no big deal."

"This Sesshoumaru assumed that you finally went mad."

"You assumed? When you assume Sesshoumaru you make an ass of u and me. Did it not seem odd that I crawled into your lap when this damn thing started?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the miko. He knew that she was acting odd, but she was Kagome, everything about her was odd, one could never predict what she would do. At first when she crawled into his lap, he was too surprised and shocked at her audacity to do anything, the lingering of her heat and her scent blanketed him for a moment, but as she continued to harass him, he realized that something was wrong even for such a human. She claimed that he did nothing to stop her, but how would one know that she was not herself? He told her remove herself, but the wench ignored him and went through great lengths to try to break his control.

"It does not matter. You propositioned me and I thought," Sesshoumaru said while carefully avoiding using the word he now hated, "that you simply were becoming the whore, you look to be."

"I am not a whore you disgusting asshole! I don't throw myself onto anyone, let alone you. You make me sick, I wouldn't touch you ever and seeing that I was not myself, and I was used like some toy, for some sick bastard's pleasure, you have no right to call me a whore." Kagome gnawed on her teeth while holding the explosive anger. If she had a subduing necklace for him, she was sure that she would wail on him till, he learned to shut up or break his back over and over.

Sesshoumaru was disgusted when he learned that the girl was possessed, and she was controlled by a male youkai. He felt disgust as he was violated by one not in their own mind. He never dealt with someone that was forced into sexual intentions and it angered him that the girl felt so disgusted from the idea of being with him. "And if you wanted to touch me, do not presume that I would let you grace my bed. If anything at all you should be honored that I did not kill you when you first laid your disgusting hands on me. You are beneath me, so do not think that I granted you any favors, by sparing your life."

Kagome had enough, she stood up and her aura savagely encompassed her. Her clothes ruffled widely in the wake of her power. She barely recognized the challenge that she presented against the very demon that had insulted her. Sesshoumaru and Sango stood up as well as they witnessed the unbottled power that escaped from her. "Beneath you? Don't make me laugh. You are not worth my time Sesshoumaru. You are complete scum, and I would be very fortunate if I never had to deal with some as disgusting as you."

Sesshoumaru's control was again being tested from the girl, but this time it called to him to take her head, not her body, and he lunged after her.

"Kagome!" Sango yelled. She raised Hiraikotsu as she watched the demon lord chased after her friend. But Kagome stood her place; no fear was evident on her face as she stared down the angry lord. As he reached the barrier of her power holding him off, Kagome raised her hand and a pink beam shot from her palm slamming against Sesshoumaru's broken armor and he was knocked back into a tree shattering it.

The youkai lord rose from the once proud tree as pieces of wood and splinters fall to the ground. He was covered in dust and it did nothing to help his anger. He shook his body, dispersing himself of the dust like a dog that was just bathed. He brushed his claws through his hair, fixing them back into place. Sesshoumaru almost did not believe his eyes as he witnessed the swirl of power wrap around her lithe body. He knew her to be powerful but she had not the ability to manipulate it and draw it out like a protective cloak, which he concluded was the reason he could not harm her when he went after her.

"Kagome?" Sango asked again.

Kagome didn't hear Sango as the rush of newfound power silenced everything around her. It was like she was in colorful haze. She looked around and everything was blue, pink, red, and yellow, and she only heard the beating of her heart as the aura of her miko power moved with the beat. She looked at her hands and marveled at she had done. She didn't want to hurt Sesshoumaru, she just wanted him to go away, and she did it without knowing how or why she did. She closed her fist and opened them to see a small flame of power flickering on her palm. As she stood transfixed, she calmed down. Every time she used her power she was nervous as every time she did something different. She tried to be afraid at first but she found the warm strength to be a comfort.

Her power receded back into her and she crashed to the ground. She held back the watery tears as they threatened to run down her face. She was no longer angry, but the bitterness and sadness consumed her. As she was bent over the ground with her fingers clawing into the dirt, a soft whimper broke through. She wiped her face clear of her teary dampness and crawled to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha opened his eyes, but as he did, his eyes burned beyond belief and shut them hoping the pain would subside. He pushed himself off the ground and felt something fall of his back. With his eyes close he was forced to rely on his other enhanced senses. He reached out and grabbed the object that was on top of him, it was the Tetsusaiga, empty memories and curiosity was all that he was left with as he tried to understand what happened and why the Tetsusaiga was not in its scabbard. He didn't know what was going on, and his body ached. He grabbed Tetsusaiga and nearly dropped it from the pain. His eyes shot open and he witnessed the horrid injury that plagued his fist. Palm and fingers were charred and black, dead skin was peeling off and he could smell the putrid smell of acid and ash.

"Inuyasha are you okay?"

Inuyasha turned to Kagome and she gasped as he faced her. His face was red, and his skin was bubbled and peeling; his eyes were blood shot and the claw marks were still on his face and forehead. She reached to touch his face but Inuyasha winced as she inspected his burns.

Inuyasha grabbed her hand and held it in his lap. "Kagome what happened?"

Kagome tried to pull away but Inuyasha held on. "You transformed into a youkai, Inuyasha you tried to kill me and Sesshoumaru."

His jaw dropped and he pulled away from Kagome as if she was some frightening creature. He touched his own face and felt the rough and blistered skin. Guilt washed over him again, again he hurt Kagome and he didn't have any control. "Kagome I'm sorry for hurting you, I didn't mean any of this." If she never forgave him, he would understand, how could she forgive him? He couldn't stop himself from hurting her, what kind of protector was he?

"Its okay Inuyasha, you are not the only one that didn't mean to hurt people."

"No it's not okay. I promised to protect you and I hurt you twice-"

"Inuyasha it doesn't matter ok. All that does is you are hurt, we are separated from Miroku and the others and we need to figure out what is going on."

"But Kagome..."

"I will be okay Inuyasha, I just want this to end."

"Ano Kagome-chan and Inuyasha, but if Naraku is behind this, we should find the others before another trap is laid for us. The faster we find the others the faster we can deal with the new offspring, and stop this from happening ever again."

Kagome took a deep breath of relief, and with a wish to forget everything as she climbed from the ground and reached for Inuyasha's hand wanting to help him up, but he pulled away but Kagome would not let go. As if Inuyasha gave up all will Kagome pulled him from the ground and wrapped her arms around him. Inuyasha took in her scent as his nose was buried in her neck. Though the stench of acid lingered in his nostrils, he could still smell the familiar scent. "It's okay Inuyasha, everything will be okay. It always is." She whispered knowingly he heard every word.

Inuyasha pulled away and turned his back on to Kagome, signaling for her to climb onto his back. Though he was slightly handicapped, as he couldn't use his eyes, he carefully took off, slower than he was used to with Kagome on his back and Sango trailing after using his other senses to find the others. Sesshoumaru was left forgotten, but he ran after humans and the hanyou.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Miroku-sama? Miroku-sama? Are you okay? What happened to Sesshoumaru-sama and Kagome-neechan?"

Miroku opened his eyes and saw a blurry face above him, but the intense brightness of the sun forced him to close his eyes again. He slowly fluttered his eyes open and the blurry vision came into picture.

"Rin-chan?"

The smiling face nodded happily, "Hai, its Rin! Are you okay Miroku-sama?"

"I don't know." Miroku finally noticed his surroundings and found that he was in the middle of the forest with only Rin, Ah-Un, Jaken, Kirara and something yellow in a bush. Everyone else was gone. He tried to move but hot flames of pain washed over him. He ignored it as he sat up, though he almost fainted from the effort. He touched his back and found his robes ripped and his back bandaged but he couldn't tell how bad it looked. "Rin do you know where everyone is? How did I get here?"

"Rin doesn't know. Jaken told Rin that you flew through the sky and your kitty caught you."

"Kitty?" but the question was answered when Miroku turned to the meow and found Kirara brushing her cheek against his leg. "Heh, sorry Kirara." He took another look of his surroundings and the temperamental toad sat sulking against a tree as the two-headed dragon lazily rested on the ground. The bright yellow fabric that was lodged in the bushes besides Ah-Un seemed familiar but he couldn't place where. Then suddenly it clicked. It was Kagome's bag. "Rin-chan?"

"Hai Miroku-sama?"

"Do you see that yellow bag over there?"

"Hai, it fell down with you but Jaken-sama wouldn't let Rin take it."

"Its Kagome-sama's bag, and it has medicine and food. Can you get it?"

"Hai Miroku-sama!" Rin hopped merrily with her arms swinging back and forth. She grabbed the bag and tugged and pulled the bag out the torn bush and skipped back just as happily as the large bag was dragged across the ground. She ignored the squawks of Jaken as he protested Rin from touching the foreign bag. "Here Miroku-sama!"

"Thanks Rin-chan." Miroku unzipped the pack and Rin watched captivated by the simple movement. As Miroku ruffled through it looking through Kagome's supplies, Rin played with the zipper.

"Rin! Stop playing the human's magical pack. You don't know what will happen!" Jaken yelled.

Rin and Miroku along with Ah-Un and Kirara turned and looked at Jaken. Miroku gave the kappa a funny laugh and Rin couldn't understand why she couldn't play with wonderful bag. It sealed itself back together with the magical metal pull, what could be so bad about that?

A victorious yell escaped Miroku as he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a bottle of aspirin and a water jug. Rin stopped playing with zipper and watched Miroku open the childproof bottle and tapped out a few tablets onto his hand. He swallowed the pills and then took a swig of water.

"Miroku-sama what did you eat?"

Miroku put the water jug down and looked over at Rin. 'Eat? Oh!' He gave Rin a smile as he explained painkillers. "Its medicine from Kagome's home. You take them to take pain away and helps you make you feel better as you heal."

"How does it work? Why are they so small? Where did Kagome-neechan get them? Can I have some when I get sick? Will it work on Sesshoumaru-sama? What is that thing that they came out of?"

The questions came a mile a minute, and Miroku again found himself overwhelmed with Rin's curiosity. Miroku smiled gently and just tapped her head, as he gave her an answer. "I don't know. Kagome-sama says they work and that is all it really matters." Miroku put the bottle of aspirin back and found some bandages, some salve and two breakfast bars and handed of the bars to Rin. "Hungry?"

"Hai!" Rin grabbed the bar but Jaken snatched it out her hand. "Jaken-sama?" Rin asked as she reached for the bar.

"You stupid little girl! You don't know what is in that! What if he poisoned it! Sesshoumaru-sama would punish me if you eat that!"

"Jaken there is nothing wrong with the food." Miroku interrupted. "Its just food."

"Like I would trust you human!"

Miroku took his own bar and ripped it open and pulled a piece from the rest of the fruit bar and placed it in his mouth deliberately and chewed slowly on the food. "See? Not poisoned," he said as he played up the swallowing, and rubbed his stomach in a fake fulfillment of his hunger.

Jaken hesitated but Rin grabbed the bar back and tried to open it, but the complicated wrapper kept her from the food. "Miroku-sama... Rin can't open it."

Miroku took the bar and peeled the plastic off and handed it back to the little girl. Rin took a big bite and smiled happily as she chewed on the granola bar. "See Jaken-sama its not poisoned!" Miroku laughed as little crumbs escaped as she talked excitedly while chewing at the same time. "Rin likes this!" she squealed in delight as she finished off her fruit bar.

"I am glad you like it Rin-chan."

"Hai! Can I have another Miroku-sama?"

"Alright but we shouldn't deplete Kagome-sama's food previsions when she is not here." Miroku fished out another breakfast bar and handed it to Rin. She struggled with it a bit but she successfully ripped open the wrapper and ate the fruit bar while smiling to herself in joy. Miroku watched Rin and couldn't help but smile to himself. When she didn't bombard him with so many questions she was adorable, even if he hated it to admit it.

With the pain gone Miroku carefully pulled off his robes and placed it haphazardly on the ground. He reached around and inspected his wound again. He couldn't tell how long he was out abut he should change his bandages. He bit his lower lip as he began to peel the bandage from his skin. He growled in pain but he just tugged harder as he ripped the bandage off. He discarded and grabbed a fresh binding and freed it from its packaging.

"Miroku-sama what are you doing?"

Miroku turned and found Rin kneeling before him with her arms on her knees, watching him.

Miroku placed a fake grin and answered her, "I am changing my bandages. I have a wound on my back that needs to be tended to."

"Can Rin help?"

"I am capable of it Rin-chan, but thank you."

"No Rin wants to help! Miroku-sama is hurt!"

Miroku broke his resolve when little tears watered her eyes. He dropped his head, and gave in. He grabbed a jar of ointment and handed it to the little girl. "Rin I need you to place this salve on my wound." Rin smiled that she could help, she enthusiastically took hold of the jar he handed her and she ran around him, and liberally speared the cream thickly on his back.

Miroku shuddered as the cream made contact with his skin, no matter how many times Kagome-sama had treated him with her medicine of her time, he could never get used to the feeling of cold chills the salve produced.

"Miroku-sama I'm done!"

Miroku looked around and smiled at the little girl and inspected his as well as he could. Though the girl was over-in enthusiastic with the crème, it seemed that she covered it well.

"Miroku-sama! You pervert! Taking advantage of a little girl!"

Miroku whipped his head around and found the clearing full of people. Kagome-sama was climbing off of Inuyasha's back, and he himself looked fairly wounded. Sango was handling her Hiraikotsu threateningly and the very dangerous Taiyoukai as snarling at him, and pulling out Tokijin from its sheath. Before Miroku could protest, Sango collided her Hiraikotsu against his head, knocking him on his side.

"If all the horrible things!"

"It's not what it looks like!"

"Oh really? We arrive with you indecent and Rin too close to your naked flesh!" Sango yelled in disgust.

Kagome leaving Inuyasha she helped Miroku up and noticed his back was ripped open and dirt and other filth had gotten in. She looked at Rin and noticed that she held a jar of her ointment. "Rin? Did you help Miroku-sama with his wounds?"

"Hai! Miroku-sama's back is hurt, and he needed to change his bandiges, and Rin asked if Rin could help, then Miroku-sama then said okay, and gave Rin this," Rin held up the jar, "and Rin put this on his owwie."

Sesshoumaru still brandishing Tokijin and wished nothing more then to slice him open for even letting Rin close, he closed in on the monk, but Kagome softly brushed his arm and sword away while looking up at him. "Its alright Sesshoumaru. Rin wanted to help. Nothing wrong with that." Sesshoumaru quietly, sheathed Tokijin and marched away, while containing his anger, promising next time nothing will stay his hand from punishing the monk, while Sango dropped her boomerang, and apologized quickly for not believing him and jumping to conclusions.

"Its alright Sango, though it the near future, you could be less forceful, when I am injured..." and Miroku gave her a flirty grin, and Sango walked off angrily and collected Kirara- away from the monk.

As Kagome dug through her backpack, she gave a warning to the monk. "You know Miroku-sama, while you are a good friend, and a great person, I won't stop them from hurting you if you continue that again."

"I am aware of my circumstances Kagome-sama, I will not be foolish enough to suffer the wrath of the Western Lord."

Kagome nodded as she cleaned Miroku's wounds, and wrapped his body with the wraps. As Kagome tended to Miroku, he took notice of everyone that found him and Rin. The Western Lord was with his dragon and servant, though he was physical fine, but Miroku notice that his armor was broken, and he wondered who was capable of doing so. He looked upon Inuyasha instead of occupying a tree branch; he sat under one, with the Tetsusaiga in his arms. He noticed his horrid burns and slashes across his face, though he was a hanyou, it looked like it would take days to heal. It didn't get lost on the monk that Inuyasha's eyes were sealed shut and grew worried if the hanyou would ever see again. Sango sat a great distance from him and she was tending to her bone boomerang, and warm feelings encompassed his heart, as he was happy to see the woman warrior unhurt.

"Kagome-sama, what has transpired since the battle with the accursed offspring Omoishoji?"

Kagome stopped her ministrations and sighed deeply and withdrew from the hapless monk.

"I'm not quite sure myself, you know. A lot happened and I just wanted to find the rest of you guys. Omoishoji just played with us…"

Miroku reached over and pulled Kagome's hands out of lap and held them dear in his own. "Its alright Kagome-sama, you do not need to say any more."

"I just am so happy to see you all right. I feared for you and Shippou…"

"Shippou? I have not seen him Kagome-sama."

"What? You mean that Shippou isn't here?"

Kagome pulled her hands from Miroku and clamored to her feet. She looked around the monk's camp and noticed that the kitsune was not there. How could she have missed that?

"Shippou-chan!"

An orange blur ran past her, and she followed it to the edge of the trees, there was Shippou arm full of apples, as he struggled to keep them in his arms as Rin the little speed demon hugged him greatly.

"Shippou… Are you alright?" as Kagome struggled to control her happiness as she witnessed her little adopted cub fine and safe.

Several thumps broke through the clearing as Shippou dropped his collection of fruit and Kagome felt herself fall to the ground as the little kitsune tackled her to the ground.

"Kagome! Kagome! You're okay! I missed you! I was so worried!"

Kagome could not hold back the laugh that spilled from her throat as she sat on the ground, with Shippou held against her chest, rubbing his head affectionately. "Don't worry, I will always be okay. But don't ever scare me again! I thought something bad happened to you when I learned that you weren't here!"

"I was just picking food, Rin and I were getting hungry and we didn't know when Miroku was going to wake, so I thought that I could help out and gather food for everyone!"

"It's okay Shippou that is a good thing that you wanted to help out. I was just worried okay, I didn't want anything bad to happen to you too."

Shippou withdrew from Kagome's bosom and took in the sights of the new comers to his campsite. Inuyasha looked horrible with his face puckered and red. The demon lord, did not seem to be hurt but his pristine manner was washed away with his broken manor and worn clothing. Sango too looked fine but Shippou could tell that she was worn out and tired.

"What happened Kagome? Rin, Jaken, Kirara and the dragon, saw that weird wind thingy and all of you went away. We found Miroku all alone and hurt and I didn't know where you were and Rin as worried about Sesshoumaru and I wanted to go look for you but that stupid toad wouldn't let me go… You look hurt, and Inuyasha's face…"

"Don't worry about it Shippou. Inuyasha and I are fine. He just kinda went crazy again and Sesshoumaru and I had to subdue him."

"Did Inuyasha hurt you?"

Inuyasha shuddered at the accusation by the kitsune as he overheard Kagome and Shippou's conversation but he couldn't blame the runt; he did hurt her, and it was his fault that everything happened. Though the guilt ran deep within Inuyasha his ears twitched hesitantly wanting to hear Kagome's answer.

"… It was not his fault. None of this is our fault. We got tricked and set up in another one of Naraku's traps. It was Naraku and his horrible demons that did this. So don't blame Inuyasha Shippou; Naraku just used Inuyasha like he has done to everyone else."

"Okay Kagome, but what are we going to do now?"

"I guess we will stay here awhile and get better. Inuyasha and Miroku's wounds won't heal for awhile anyway."

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"You worthless incarnate! I told you the plan, why couldn't you just follow it?" Naraku roared from his seat. He grabbed a sake bottle and hurled it against the wall, missing his offspring. The strong odor of sake drafted throughout the room as it ran down the wall. "Your ruined everything! How hard was it to take over a stupid unlearned miko? And what of the hanyou? You went after the miko not the damn Taiyoukai! You stupid fool, my plan was ruined. And now they know you exist!"

Omoishoji kneeled unafraid in the darkened corner of the room. As he witnessed the Naraku's fury a cold distant smile grew on his face. Truth be it, Naraku held no power over him. Naraku was nothing to him, but he indulged in his needless obsession of destroying the inu hanyou and his friends, ever since he learned on how much fun they could be. Naraku had no idea, but then again he was too preoccupied by the useless jewel to pay attention to the true and immeasurable pleasure in causing havoc to the very group that he was sent to eliminate.

"It was a pathetic plan. It wasn't going to work, they are stronger then you think."

A darkened look glazed over washed over Naraku, his red eyes were the only visible part of him as he leaned back in his chair was he was swept in the dark shadows.

"Then what do you suggest?"

Omoishoji stood up and a very human face left the haven of the gloom, dark eyes sparkled with mischief. A filthy dirt crusted hand rose and brushed the fallen brown strands of hair out of his face and brushed them behind his rounded ear.

"You don't need to know, they are my prey."

Naraku's sinister laugh enveloped the room, as he leaned back into the light, his right hand held his face as the other arm occupied the armrest. He set his crimson orbs on the aged face of Omoishoji's newly borrowed body. "I will allow this but Omoishoji if you ever betray me again I will kill you."

"Kill me, you're favorite? I don't think so. I am beyond your power to do so. I am not some puppet that you can control _father_, am not like Kagura or Kanna. I am perfect."

"I am Naraku, I am capable of doing whatever I want. Killing you will be no different. But I am curious to know what you are planning to do Inuyasha, his little whore and his bastard brother. Do what you will. I am sure the outcome will be no different from mine."

"When this is over I want to keep the Taiyoukai."

"No. He will die with the others. You can keep the monk."

"Now that's unfair. His curse will destroy him before I have any fun with him."

Naraku leaned back in his chair letting the darkness cover him once again, and then a sharp chuckle escaped. "I have changed my mind. You can have the Taiyoukai. He is too proud to be killed. Ruin him in anyway you choose. A person such as you is more than capable of destroying him." He chuckled again and beckoned Omoishoji closer. As Omoishoji came closer to Naraku, he whispered seductively making Omoishoji excited. "If you make me happy and listen to me as we destroy Inuyasha, I will let you keep the monk- curse free. A Taiyoukai and the monk for your loyalty, that is more than fair. But only if you do not betray me, otherwise they will both die."

Omoishoji bit his lower lip in excitement and headed his way out. "They will be mine no matter what." He raised his hand and waved, "See you later _father_ I have people to play with." And the shoji doors shut as he left the room leaving Naraku alone in the room.

As Naraku sat in his chair he had to ponder of his latest offspring. His own incarnate had surpassed his sadistic nature. Omoishoji cared nothing more than playing with his newest toy. He was rather simple in demands but his lust for torture, humiliation and pain made him a creature to dread.

He certainly had a problem on his hands, but if he could maintain control and kept his loyalty then indulging him with everything, would be worthwhile.

Yes everything will be worthwhile, and he will have everything he wanted even if he had to spare two of his enemies to his offspring as playthings. He was looking forward to it.

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Teaser: 

"You thought he was a pervert? Dear god Kagome what is wrong with you?"

"Hey! You hear those stories about those rich weirdoes, what was I supposed to think when he suddenly began to play with my foot?"

"So what if he had a foot fetish? He must have liked you; Hayakawa is a notorious man for never giving anyone the time of day- male, female anyone. He doesn't even care to meet other business associates, he is an ass to everyone."

"Though there are some rumors that say that he is such a narcissistic man, that only person that can get himself off, is himself."

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You should know the drill. **V****V**


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